Letter of Inquiry & Statement of Need

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Week 2 – Assignment 1

Letter Of Inquiry

Download Worksheet 2.1: Letter of Inquiry Questionnaire Complete questions 2-9 (2-3 sentences each) by typing your responses directly into the worksheet, and upload the completed worksheet as part of your written assignment.

Use the worksheet 2.1 to write a formal letter of inquiry. Address your cover letter to Mary Smith, PhD, as provided in the Sample Letter of Inquiry on page 25. Be sure to cite properly, according to APA standards, when you pull information from another source.

Note: You will use your responses from this worksheet to craft the final Letter of Inquiry that will be included in your grant proposal/final project due in Week Six (a Sample Letter of Inquiry is included on page 25 of the text).

Week 2 – Assignment 2

Statement Of Need

Download Worksheet 3.1: Statement of Need Questionnaire. Once you have opened Worksheet 3.1., select “save as,” and save it to your own computer as a Word document. Complete the worksheet, providing at least one bullet point for each topic, and upload the completed worksheet as part of your written assignment.

Note: You will use your responses from this worksheet to craft your Statement of Need that will be included in your final project (a Sample Need Statement is included on page 32 of the text).

Resources

Required Text

O'Neal-McElrath, T. (2013). Winning grants step by step: The complete workbook for planning, developing and writing successful proposals (Links to an external site.) (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: ISBN: 978-1-118-37834-2

· Step 3: Writing a Compelling Problem Statement

· Worksheets (Links to an external site.)

Required References

Wise Geek. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-types-of-private-foundation-grants.htm This site offers a list of different types of private foundation grants.

Step 3 Writing a Compelling Problem Statement

THIS STEP HIGHLIGHTS THE KEY ELEMENTS of a problem statement (for grantseeking purposes this statement might also be referred to as the state- ment of the need or need statement), including the four requirements for it to be successful. The section also offers a worksheet and sample to serve as guides to preparing a problem statement for a proposal.

Purpose of the Problem Statement

What is the problem to be addressed? An organization’s problem statement will—or at least it should—directly address this question. Therefore this is the best place to begin writing a proposal. A problem statement sets the framework for the entire proposal, as it describes a critical condition, set of conditions, or a social need affecting certain people or things in a specifi c place at a specifi c time. The need statement is fundamental to a proposal because funders must agree with the organization that the program addresses an important community problem. Bolstered by accurate data (quantitative statistics) combined with the right selection of stories that provide a more personal illustration of the need (qualitative data), a compelling need state- ment is often the fi rst component that motivates a funder to give serious consideration to a nonprofi t’s request. Make no mistake: a good, solid, and well-supported problem statement is the key that unlocks the door, moving a proposal that much closer to funding consideration.

Finally, the unmet need—and an organization’s ability to successfully address it—gives grantmakers an opportunity to realize their own goals.

O'Neal-McElrath, Tori, and Mim Carlson. Winning Grants Step by Step : The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing and Writing Successful Proposals, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ashford-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1469450. Created from ashford-ebooks on 2022-03-07 00:40:33.

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32 Winning Grants Step by Step

Content of the Problem Statement

Here are some basic rules to follow when developing the project’s problem statement:

• The need being addressed in the statement should have a clear rela- tionship to an organization’s mission and purpose.

• The problem statement should focus squarely on those the organization serves and their specifi c needs, rather than the organization’s needs— unless an organizational capacity-building grant is being sought.

• Any assertions about the problem should be well supported with evidence (statistical facts, expert views, trends found in the experience of doing the work, and so on).

• The organization must be able to directly connect—and substantiate— the need described in the proposal with the organization’s ability to successfully respond to that need (that ability will be described in a subsequent section of the proposal).

• The problem statement must be easily digestible. Avoid using jargon, and do not make the reader have to work to understand the point. Graphs and charts with data to support the case are often good addi- tions to a proposal, as they present the data in the most compelling way.

The problem being addressed by the organization may be specifi c to its geographical area or it may be found in many communities. Do not overpromise: if the problem occurs in an area larger than that served by the organization or the proposed program, it is important to focus only on what the organization or program can reasonably accomplish. Should this be the case—the problem exceeds the boundaries of the organization or proposed program—consider positioning the program as a potential model for other nonprofi ts in other locations. By taking the model approach, an organization broadens the pool of potential funders to include those concerned with the problem in other geographical areas. Consideration should also be given to conducting research to discover whether other organizations in the service area have—or are developing—similar programs to address the same prob- lem. Should this be the case, consider exploring a collaborative program that would leverage and expand the reach of program plans and grant funds.

If the organization decides to take either the model or collaborative approach, highlight this fact in the problem statement; the organization is addressing the need on a larger level through the development of a program that can be a model for others or that it is leveraging its efforts with another organization so it can expand the reach and impact of its program.

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Step 3—Writing a Compelling Problem Statement 33

Often arts organizations struggle with this section owing to a percep- tion that the arts do not meet a compelling community need. However, arts organizations should be encouraged, as they do meet important needs. Without these nonprofi ts, certain cultures and traditions would be lost, lives would not be enriched, and young people would not learn new and differ- ent ways of expressing themselves. The same holds true for social justice organizations who may struggle with how to quantify social change. Over the last few years, there has been more research in this area, and the website offers some data, studies, and overall guidance on how best to frame social justice outcomes.

For general support grants, there might be a struggle with the problem statement because the proposal addresses the general work of the organi- zation. Focus on describing the problems that the organization addresses: mission and purpose. This, again, goes back to something touched on earlier in this workbook: when focusing on soliciting general operating support, always use the nonprofi t’s mission and purpose as the guide.

Tips for Writing the Problem Statement

The problem statement should be contained to no more than three pages. Being concise with the problem statement will serve grantseekers well, and the real- ity is that most foundation guidelines limit proposals to ten to twelve pages in total; corporate guidelines typically limit proposals to even fewer pages. Space constricts even more with the online proposal portals, as they literally limit the space to a specifi c number of words.

In stating the problem, use hard statistics from reputable sources and steer clear of assumptions and undocumented assertions masquerading as legitimate facts.

• Use statistics that are clear and that document the current unmet need or problem. If talking about a specifi c community within a city, offer one or two data points about the city, then zero in on the data specifi c to that community.

Defi nition Collaboration. “A mutually benefi cial and well-defi ned relationship entered into by two or more organi- zations to achieve common goals. The relationship includes a commitment to mutual relationships and goals, a jointly developed structure and shared responsibility, mutual authority and accountability for success, and sharing of resources and rewards.”

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Winning Grants Step by Step34

• Use comparative statistics and research where possible. Look at the exam- ples in the accompanying Reality Check box. As shown, using data from a community that did something very similar to what the grant- seeker wants to do and citing the benefi ts that the community derived from the project can make a strong case for the nonprofi t to do the same.

• Quote authorities who have spoken on the topic. Be sure to cite the person who made each statement and the source where it was found, and if appropriate, provide backup information that substantiates that this person is indeed an authority on the subject matter.

• Make sure all data collection is well documented. Grantseekers will use the Internet for research, which is of course more than appropriate. Just make sure that the websites being referenced are reputable and the links are both accurate and current; then clearly cite the sources.

• Use touching stories of people as examples. This is very effective, but only when balanced against hard data. Keep in mind that foundations vary in what they seek in terms of the right mix of vignettes and numbers.

• Give a clear sense of the urgency of the request. Funders need to under- stand why the funding is important now.

Take a look at the following Sample Problem Statement from the Swim 4 Life program. Then, using the proposal idea identifi ed and developed in Step One, answer the questions on Worksheet 3.1, as this will assist in beginning to defi ne the need the organization is addressing. After reviewing the Sample Problem Statement and completing the worksheet questionnaire, write the organization’s problem statement based on the information developed. Next answer the Problem Statement Review Questions listed at the end of this step to make sure the statement is written well. Rewrite the problem statement until all the review questions are satisfactorily addressed.

Sample Problem Statement The need for programs like Swim 4 Life is enormous in the communities we serve. Swimming has not been a popular sport in African American or Latino communities in some measure as a result of various factors including access to safe pools. Historically speaking, African Americans were denied access to public pools. As a result, they turned to water holes, ponds, and other unsupervised alternatives, which led to rates of drowning among people of color that far exceed those of whites. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest report in early 2012, the drowning rate for African Americans between the ages of fi ve and fourteen was more than three times that for whites.

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Step 3—Writing a Compelling Problem Statement 35

To this day, a deep-seated fear about swimming has discouraged African Americans and, to a lesser yet still signifi cant degree, Latinos in the United States from participating in the activity. A story relayed to us by a previous program participant:

Our family is originally from Louisiana, though many of us moved to Any State after Hurricane Katrina. Those of my family who stayed in Louisiana were having a family picnic a few years ago by a waterway, and not one person at the picnic could swim. A few of the kids were playing at the water’s edge when the land gave way and all fell into the water. Nine of my family members died that day—seven kids and two adults who tried to help them. I promised myself that if I ever got the chance, not only would I learn to swim, but I would become a lifeguard.

According to our most recent survey of current and previous program participants, nearly 75 percent of those surveyed have family members who have drowned or experienced a traumatic water incident and are terrifi ed of drowning themselves.

Arthur Schomburg Middle School, one of the program sites, is located in a part of South Spring that off ers children and youth little in the way of public resources and facilities for sports, especially swimming. A county facility, Thurgood Marshall Park, 1.7 miles from the school, has a seasonal swim program, open only during the summer even though the pool is indoor and heated. Rosa Parks and Garfi eld Recreation Centers, twelve miles from the school, have indoor heated pools that open during the summer but are not accessible to young students after school; they would have to cross major thoroughfares to get there.

Most experts agree that children approaching adolescence are particularly vulnerable to peer infl uences, and for youth living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, the lack of positive opportunities often puts them at risk for gang affi liation, substance abuse, and/or low academic performance. A report issued by the Urban Institute in 2011 detailed the risks, obstacles, and positive strategies needed relative to middle school children from low-income families. According to the study, it is a prime time to introduce innovative and challenging youth sports programs—those not typically available in communities of color—as exciting alternatives to unhealthy risk-taking activities. The Swim 4 Life program in King County, Any State, is designed to take advantage of this age group’s interest in experimentation and exploration.

The city of Abbington is served by the program site at the Rockmore Education Complex. It is the most densely populated city in the state, with 8,552 people occupying every square mile, compared with an overall average of 2,093 people per square mile in other cities. It has the highest crime rate in the state, and the poverty rate is 46 percent, nearly twice that of South Spring. Fifty-one percent of children under the age of 18 live in poverty, compared with 31 percent in South Spring, and less than 20 percent the rest of the state. Young people in this city—and South Spring—clearly live under stressful conditions and could benefi t greatly from structured and supervised physical activity, as well as safe opportunities for fun and positive engagement. And for all of the reasons outlined, we have selected Cooperville Middle School, also located in Abbington, to expand our program.

A swim program off ers many advantages over other physical activities. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise because all the muscles of the body are used, and it requires a constant supply of oxygen to the muscles, making it a mainly aerobic exercise. It is also a gateway to all aquatic sports and is considered one of the important life-saving skills. Many studies such as the one conducted in 2012 by the Center for Research on Eff ective School for Disadvantaged Youth at the Johns Hopkins University have drawn a connection between participation in structured athletic programs and academic achievement. Yet today, students in local high schools, particularly in the eleventh and twelfth grades, have so many academic requirements that there is not enough time for physical education, even as an elective.

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Winning Grants Step by Step36

WORKSHEET 3.1:

Statement of Problem Questionnaire

Who? Where? When? What? Why?

Evidence of

Problem

Impact If Problems

Resolved?

Who is in need (people,

animals, land, and so

forth)?

Why does this problem

exist?

What evidence do

you have to support

your claim?

What will occur if the

needs are met? What

will be diff erent—and

how?

Where are they?

(General: city/state; and

specifi c: neighborhood,

geography)

What is the problem?

(Get specifi c)

How is the problem

linked to your

organization?

When is the problem

evident?

On the Web

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Step 3—Writing a Compelling Problem Statement 37

Problem Statement Review Questions

Once a problem statement is completed, answer the following six questions to see whether what has been developed hits the mark:

1. Is the problem statement focused on those who will be served by the program (and not on your organization)?

2. Does the problem statement directly connect to the organization’s mission statement?

3. Given the organization’s size and resources, can it address the prob- lem in a meaningful way?

4. Is the problem statement adequately supported by solid and repu- table quantitative and qualitative data on the nature, size, and scope of the need to be addressed?

5. Is it sweet and simple (remember KISS from a previous chapter)?

6. Is the problem statement persuasive without being wordy?

Reality Check Avoid the trap of circular reasoning, which commonly occurs in problem statements. To use the Founda- tion Center’s defi nition and example, circular reasoning occurs when “you present the absence of your solution as the actual problem. Then your solution is off ered as the way to solve the problem. For ex- ample, ‘The problem is that we have no pool in our community. Building a pool will solve the problem.’ ”

This statement does not communicate a problem: communities across the country thrive with no community pool. However, if it was stated that a community pool in the neighborhood would specifi cal- ly address certain challenges the community is facing, and if followed up by citing a similar community where a community pool has had a positive impact in ways that are documented, it could potentially build a compelling argument that would provide the context for the problem statement.

The program’s need is now established. Developing the program’s goals and objectives is next, which is Step Four.

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WORKSHEET 2.1:

Letter of Inquiry Questionnaire

1. What is the purpose of this letter of inquiry? To whom is it being sent, and what is the connection?

2. What year was the organization founded? What year was it incorporated?

3. What is the mission of the organization?

4. What are the long-term goals for the organization?

5. What programs does the organization provide that support these goals?

6. What is the need in the community that you seek funding to address?

8. What does the organization propose to do about this need?

9. What outcome does the organization anticipate after the first year of funding?

10. What is the total cost of the proposed idea for the first year, or what is the cost to expand the current program? (Or multiple years if you plan to request multiple-year funding?) How much do you want from this funder?

11. Who will be contacting the funder to determine its interest and when? Whom sh ould the funder contact for more information?

WORKSHEET 3.1A: Statement of Need Questionnaire
Use the filled-out Worksheet 3.1B in the book as an example to follow as you complete this questionnaire.
Who? Where? When?	What? Why?	Evidence of Problem	Impact If Problem Is Resolved?
Who is in need (people, animals, land, etc.)?	What is the need?	What evidence do you have to support your claim?	What will occur if the needs are met? What will be different – and how?






Where are they?	Why does this need exist?		How is the need linked to your organization?




When is the need evident?

Step 2 Developing Relationships with Funders

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNDERS is a long-term, sincere, and strategic investment of time and intention. Once it is determined that an organization’s proposed program is solid, time and focused effort needs to be invested in identifying funders who are potentially a match with both the organization and its proposed program, project, or special initiative. Resources on the Winning Grants Step by Step, Fourth Edition website offer links to other sites with detailed information and tips on how to effectively conduct prospect research to successfully identify possible funders. Step Two also provides no- nonsense advice about prospect research and then offers ideas for developing relationships once funders are identifi ed. Please refer to Resource A (What Is a Foundation?) to learn more about what foundations are and how they work.

Making the Initial Approach

A grantmaker ’s website typically holds all the information grantseekers need to determine whether it is a match. In fact, in this day and age, it is now fairly commonplace for all grant guidelines and supporting materials to be on the website; funders are “going green” in every way and reducing paper consumption. So not only are grant guidelines online but, as mentioned in the Introduction, grant proposals are now routinely submitted online and paperless. Typically, grantseekers will fi nd an abundance of information, including—but by no means limited to—background information on the foundation as an institution, its staff and board of directors, grant guidelines, and special funding initiatives, if any. Most funder websites will also proudly feature current and previous grantees or the programs successfully funded. Foundations, like all 501(c)3 organizations, are required by law to provide access to their Internal Revenue Service Form 990, which is their annual tax

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Winning Grants Step by Step22

return. Many may have a link to this document on their websites, or they can be located by visiting Guide Star (www.guidestar.org) or the Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org).

These success stories provide the very best indicators of what specifi c funders are likely to fund in the future. Some funders may have additional microsites (separate sites that are linked to the main site) for particular funding initiatives they have launched. That said, other funders may still require additional sleuthing on the part of the grantseeker before they can appropriately glean whether there is truly a match. So in addition to reviewing funder websites, grantseekers should use various search engines to research their previous giving to other organizations and perhaps also to look for feature stories about them (if not found on their websites) or pick up the telephone and call a foundation directly.

But be prepared: this conversation just might lead to a brief discussion of the proposed project or program, so the caller should be ready to talk about it and hit the highlights. Who knows? This may be the start of a great new relationship. After reviewing a grantmaker’s website and other related materials, determine clarity around there being a potentially solid fi t between the organization’s proposed program or project and what the grantmaker says it is interested in funding. Grantseekers need to recognize that the relationship they make with foundation staff is one based on mutual need; they then need to be on a mission to educate foundation staff on what they need from the grantseeker’s organization.

In addition, it is important not to assume that funders know and under- stand the grantseeking organization’s mission or target audience or that the program being presented is addressing a priority of theirs.

Developing the Relationship

After establishing that there is a good fi t, relationship building becomes a continuous process that begins before a single word of a proposal is written, and it spans many years. Keep in mind that it is a relationship, rather than a transaction. Good communication with funders should never end, even if and when the organization may stop receiving grants from them. Once a relationship exists, funders like to receive progress reports about how the organization or program they funded is doing. They may also take an inter- est in other compelling ideas that the organization has developed.

It’s not always easy to develop relationships with funders, especially if they have not previously funded an organization. However, the key is the relationship part of that phrase. It’s relationship building, rather than sell- ing, that makes a difference.

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http://www.guidestar.org

http://www.foundationcenter.org

Step 2—Developing Relationships with Funders 23

Here are a few concrete ways to approach a funder to open the door to relationship building. These are discussed more fully in the following subsections.

• Send the funder a brief email inquiry.

• Call the foundation and speak with someone regarding your proposal idea.

• Send a brief (no longer than two pages maximum) letter of inquiry to the funder.

• Invite the funder to your organization for a site visit.

While grant guidelines determine a nonprofi t’s initial approach, grant- seekers may have a connection to the funder, either directly or through one or more contacts who can potentially open a door on behalf of the organiza- tion for an initial meeting or phone conversation.

Sending Email Inquiries to Funders

Many funders offer grantseekers the option of contacting them via email with questions and funding inquiries. Some grantmakers even provide direct email access to their program offi cers from their websites; others may have an “info@” email that is routed to the appropriate staff person after review. In either case, email is a valuable tool for stimulating further, more meaningful, contact because it provides an opportunity for a brief introduction as a staff person, as well as the organization represented and the program needing funding. At the same time it gives the program offi – cer the time he needs to review the information and potentially respond. Email is far less demanding for program offi cers than a phone call and less wasteful than paper documents. And given the signifi cant shift from paper to electronic processes, email is all the more important. The key is to keep it brief! Resist the urge to write a mini proposal in the email. Grantseekers can also request an in-person meeting or time for a phone conversation in the email, which then provides the funder with options for responding to the communication.

Reality Check Be strategic and err on the side of restraint when using a contact to open a door with a funder. Few things are worse than dealing with a program offi cer who feels pushed into a meeting. Grantseekers always want an invitation, rather than a meeting based on obligation. Think “soft touch” rather than “heavy hand.”

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Winning Grants Step by Step24

Contacting a Funder by Telephone

Before calling a funder to pitch an idea, be prepared. The person with whom a grantseeker speaks may have only a short time for a conversa- tion, so preparation is essential. Be ready to provide the highlights of the organization’s program within a ten- to fi fteen-minute conversation. This time frame includes the time it may take for the person to ask for clarifi cation of any points. Grantseekers should remember that they are not selling their organization’s program to a funder; they are attempting to make a connection between the program and the funding institution’s interest areas. To actively build a long-term relationship with the funder and with this particular representative, careful and engaged listening to the funder’s needs and providing information the funder wants is extremely important.

In listening to the funder’s needs, one might discover—sometimes very early in the conversation—that there in fact is not a match between the organization’s program and the funder’s current funding priorities; that is why grantseekers should have one or two other program ideas in mind to present as a backup. Do not waste this opportunity with the funder; be fully prepared with information on clearly identifi ed unmet needs that may fi t into the funder’s interest areas.

Writing a Letter of Inquiry

A letter of inquiry (or LOI) is sometimes the fi rst step in a funder’s grant- making process, particularly if the relationship between prospective grantee and funder is new. An LOI provides the funder with a “sneak peek” at the organization, target audience, and prospective program, without requir- ing the grantseeker to develop a full proposal at this early stage. After the funder has reviewed the information presented in the LOI, the organiza- tion may or may not be invited to submit a full proposal. Even though an LOI is a preliminary step, it should be treated as a vital part of relationship building. It is an integral fi rst interaction of what grantseekers hope will be many interactions with the funder. If asked to submit an LOI, check to see whether the funder has specifi c LOI guidelines. If it does not, the following list suggests what information to include, as a general rule:

• Organization’s mission and related programs

• The need the organization wishes to meet

• The outcomes expected from the organization’s project

• General details of how an organization will conduct the project

• The potential fi t between the funder and the organization

The sample LOI included in this step presents to a funder the Swim 4 Life Program, which will be used as an example program throughout this

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Step 2—Developing Relationships with Funders 25

workbook. This is the letter that the Swim 4 Life program executive director would submit if an LOI was invited by the funder or if the funder accepted unsolicited submissions.

Sample Letter of Inquiry July 17, 2012 Wendy Wonder President XYZ Foundation 0000 Clinton Avenue, Suite 2330 Anytown, Any State 02009

Dear Ms. Wonder: I appreciate the time Anne Jonas has taken to communicate with us about how our programs fi t with

the XYZ Foundation’s funding priorities, and the encouragement she off ered us. Therefore, on behalf of the Board of Directors and staff , I am honored to submit this brief Letter of Inquiry introducing Swim 4 Life, an innovative swimming instruction program by Jane Swimmer, a former U.S. Olympic swimming hopeful and hometown hero. We respectfully request your consideration of a grant of $25,000 to help us expand our programs for low-income youth from two to three schools in the Gathenton School District.

Established as a 501(c)3 organization in 2008, the mission of the Swim 4 Life program is to empower youth in the underserved communities throughout King County through high-quality programs to utilize the discipline of swimming to improve physical fi tness, nurture self-esteem, and acquire the confi dence to advance their lives. This mission is currently being fulfi lled through programs currently operated at Arthur Schomburg Middle School in South Spring and the Rockmore Education Complex High School in Abbington. More than 450 youth have participated since operations began, and we would now like to add Cooperville Middle School, also located in Abbington.

The need for programs like Swim 4 Life is enormous in the communities we serve. Swimming has not been a popular sport in African American or Latino communities in some measure as a result of various factors including access to pools and other safe places to swim. Historically speaking, African Americans were denied access to public pools prior to the civil rights movement—and after in many instances. As a result, this population turned to water holes, ponds, and other unsupervised alternatives, which led to rates of drowning among people of color that far exceed those of whites. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest report in early 2012, the drowning rate for African Americans between the ages of fi ve and fourteen was more than three times that for whites.

Through a range of summer and after-school services, the Swim 4 Life program teaches children to be “water safe” and to swim, and prepares them for competitive team training if they want to further develop their skills. Our program at one school even provides swim instruction specifi cally for students with disabilities. Our partnership with the Gathenton School District off ers us the opportunity to replicate the programs throughout the cities of Rockmore and South Spring in King County, contributing to improved health and fi tness of hundreds of youth who have been excluded from the sport because of limited access to safe pools.

With your help, we will expand our program from two to three schools in the Gathenton School District and achieve the following specifi c programmatic outcomes with the low-income students and students of color we plan to serve in 2012:

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Winning Grants Step by Step26

Now that a sample LOI has been presented and reviewed, take the time to answer the questions in Worksheet 2.1, which is located both at the end of this chapter and on the Winning Grants Step by Step, Fourth Edition companion website, as clearly as possible. This exercise will help in developing a strong letter of inquiry for funders. If grantseekers cannot clearly and articulately answer the questions, that probably means that they need to gather more information before they can effectively complete an LOI.

• 100 students participate in water aerobics classes, which will enable nonswimmers to participate, since classes are conducted in shallow water

• 25 students are trained as Junior Lifeguards and Lifeguards, including seven at Rockmore Education Complex (a high school)

• 58 students participate on a swim team • 37 students participate in swim fi tness classes, workouts for students who already know how to swim

and are looking for an exercise alternative as a part of a healthier lifestyle

• 13 students participate on a water polo team (Note: In previous years, we found that not one of our students even knew what water polo was until the program introduced it as an option)

• 29 students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP) complete the Adapted Learn-to-Swim class • 39 students complete the Learn-to-Swim class

The outcomes listed above represent a 25% increase in the numbers of students we will serve. Because of your commitment to encouraging low-income youth and young people of color to reach

their fullest potential, as well as your geographic focus in King County, we sincerely hope that the XYZ Foundation will join us as our partner in this important program.

The Swim 4 Life Program budget is $468,800, of which $150,000 remains to be raised. So as you can see, your gift of $25,000 for the expanded program will go a long way toward helping us meet our budget. In addition, investing in Swim 4 Life will make a signifi cant impact on the ability of economically disadvantaged King County, Any State, youth to create a brighter future for themselves. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at (111) 111–1111. We deeply appreciate your invitation of this Letter of Inquiry and trust that you will see enough of a connection between our program and your foundation’s mission that you will invite a full proposal.

Sincerely, Shawn Jones, Executive Director

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Step 2—Developing Relationships with Funders 27

WORKSHEET 2.1:

Letter of Inquiry Questionnaire

1. What is the purpose of this letter of inquiry? To whom is it being sent, and what is the connection?

2. What year was the organization founded? What year was it incorporated?

3. What is the mission of the organization?

4. What are the long-term goals for the organization?

5. What programs does the organization provide that support these goals?

6. What is the need in the community that you seek funding to address?

7. How, in the organization’s view, is the need related to its programs, long-term goals, and mission?

8. What does the organization propose to do about this need?

9. What outcome does the organization anticipate after the fi rst year of funding?

10. What is the total cost of the proposed idea for the fi rst year, or what is the cost to expand the current program? (Or multiple years if you plan to request multiple-year funding?) How much do you want from this funder?

11. Who will be contacting the funder to determine its interest and when? Whom should the funder contact for more information?

On the Web

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Winning Grants Step by Step28

Meeting with a Funder

Many grantseekers dream of having face-to-face meetings with prospec- tive funders prior to submitting a proposal because they want not only to get clarifi cation from the funders on key issues but also an opportunity to “prime the pump” and get the grantmakers excited about the program even before they receive the proposal. Unfortunately, preproposal funder meetings are few and far between, because funders simply cannot accom- modate every nonprofi t’s request for them. Also, some funders are leery of these meetings because they do not want to raise unrealistic funding expectations in grantseekers. Managing grantseeker expectations is of the utmost importance to the majority of funders: they certainly want to encour- age the submission of solid proposals for programs meeting their interest areas, but they do not want to raise false hope at the same time. Remember: every foundation and corporate grantmaker has a limited amount of funding available for grants every year. That said, if an organization has a contact that already has a strong relationship with a funder, this individual may be able to help broker a meeting. After doing the due diligence of funder research, grantseekers should think about others they know who may also know the funder. Understand also that any early meeting secured with the grantmaker will be very preliminary and in no way ensures that the grant- seeker will receive funds from this source.

If an in-person meeting is scheduled, grantseekers should take materials that best describe the organization and the proposed program. In the meet- ing the grantseeker should attempt to cover the following topics:

• Credibility of the organization

• Need for the proposed project

• Program description

• Community interest in the program

• Proposed outcomes

• Ability to measure success

• Costs and projected revenue sources

• Why this funder’s interests may be met by investing in the program

Time with a program offi cer is likely to be short, so organizations should be prepared to hit the highlights. Listen carefully to the funder’s questions and any concerns expressed, and make sure questions are answered fully and truthfully. These questions and concerns should also be addressed again in the proposal that will be submitted following the meeting, provided there is a good fi t.

Here are some additional steps to take to develop good relationships with funders with whom the grantseeker has spoken:

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Step 2—Developing Relationships with Funders 29

• Add the program offi cer to the organization’s mailing list or list serve

• Add the program offi cer to the organization’s newsletter distribution list, and go the extra distance by including a personal note with his newsletter

• Send brief (one- to two-page) progress reports on the successes of the organization’s work—ones that the program offi cer has not funded but that his colleagues at other funding institutions may have funded

• Invite the program offi cer to organization events with personal notes—even if she cannot come, she will remember the contact

• Contact the program offi cer occasionally by telephone or email with brief messages and updates. Include quotes or even notes specifi cally from program constituents

Letter of Inquiry Review Questions

1. Is the name of the program and amount of request clearly stated in the fi rst paragraph?

2. Does the second paragraph elaborate further on the proposed project, as well as any related projects (when applicable)?

3. Is the organization’s mission statement included?

4. Is the need the proposed program intends to meet clear? Are some preliminary data to support the need for the proposed program included?

5. Are the specifi c program outcomes the program is targeted to achieve described clearly?

6. Is program implementation included?

Reality Check Electronic applications. These come in the form of either an actual web-based portal that grantseekers es- sentially fi ll out/fi ll in, and grant guidelines that instruct grantseekers to email the proposal and required attachments, rather than mailing paper copies. The web-based grant proposal portals have a specifi c space for each proposal component, and they are sometimes limited in the number of words per section. Among funders using electronic applications are the W. K. Kellogg Foundation (www.wkkf.org), The Skoll Foundation (www.skollfoundation.org), The Agnes and Eugene Meyer Foundation (www .meyerfoundation.org/apply-for-funding), and the Hertz Foundation (www.dot hertzfoundation/org/dz /fellowships/application.aspx). Please visit any one of these foundation websites to see clear examples of online application processes. There are more examples located on the Winning Grants Step by Step, Fourth Edition website.

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http://www.wkkf.org

http://www.skollfoundation.org

http://www.dothertzfoundation/org/dz/fellowships/application.aspx

http://www.meyerfoundation.org/apply-for-funding

Winning Grants Step by Step30

7. Is the “fi t” or natural connection between the organization’s pro- gram and the funder’s priority areas, as identifi ed in their guidelines, included?

8. If there is some funding already committed to the project, and is it mentioned?

9. Is the program’s contact person clearly identifi ed, including all con- tact information?

Developing relationships with funders is such an important step in the process of winning grants that the value of doing it well cannot be emphasized enough. Now that funder relationships have been explained and helpful hints provided, it’s time to develop the problem statement, which is Step Three.

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