Your letter of inquiry (LOI) is your first impression. It sets the tone for your interactions, so it’s critical to knock it out of the park.
In this week’s edition of The Impact, we’ll teach you how to strike the right balance between highlighting your organization’s good work and speaking to the funder’s needs.
Let’s dive in.
Pitfalls and Pointers
⚠️ Pitfall: Making Your LOI All About You
Of course, your LOI should clearly articulate who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish—but that shouldn’t be all the letter is about.
Unfortunately, in our haste to tell potential funders how awesome we are, we can forget to focus on their needs.
💡 Pointer: Align Your LOI to the Funder’s Priorities
If you want your proposal to stand out, you have to speak the same language as your funders.
When you align your LOI to the funder’s needs, they can understand how your work fits into their mission, increasing your odds of winning funding.
Here’s how you can put this into practice:
- Mirror their language. Review their grant requirements. Comb through their website. Gather all the information you can, and use it to inform your proposal.
- Focus on how your project fits into their priorities. Use their language to highlight how your project can directly contribute to their goals. Funders want to see your unique perspective on how you’ll advance their mission.
- Acknowledge their contributions. As you detail the good work you hope to accomplish, be sure to focus on how their grant will enable it. Stress the importance of collaboration and partnership in advancing the greater good.
📖 Check out six ways to make your LOI stand out to funders!
📘 Partner Feature - EPIC Impact: Transform Your Message Into a Movement
If you've ever stared at a blank page, wondering how to inspire donors, rally volunteers, or simplify your mission for funders—you’re not alone.
In her new book, Hailey Evans shares her secret to success: the EPIC Framework (Engage, Persuade, Inspire, Close). It’s a proven messaging structure that helps you craft compelling content—from grant narratives to donor appeals—and drive real results.
In this book, you’ll learn how to:
- Craft a message that grabs attention in 7 seconds
- Build trust with emotionally resonant storytelling
- Inspire action—from funders, donors, or partners
- Close with clarity and confidence (without sounding salesy)
We know that data finds the funders—but story wins the grant.
👉 Grab your copy now and start transforming how you write, connect, and win support!
Expert Perspectives
🏆 Margit Brazda-Poirier on Crafting Effective LOIs
Margit Brazda-Poirier, founder of Grants4Good, shares more about how you should structure your LOIs.
Here’s her expert advice:
- Grab their attention from the start. In your first paragraph, you want to briefly introduce your organization. Highlight any current connections you may have. If you don’t have any, craft a compelling hook about what you do and why it’s important.
- Avoid getting lost in the details. Your LOI is intended to capture their interest. Provide a high-level overview of your program and the gap it’s addressing. Do not get bogged down in the program specifics yet. That’s what your full proposal is for.
- Don’t shy away from asking for a direct amount. If it’s unclear how much the grant is for, research the organization’s median grant amount. Instrumentl makes it easy to see a funder’s giving history, so you’ll be able to make an informed request.
🤯 Watch the full webinar to help you transform your LOIs!
🎁 A Gift for You 🎁
Even if you write the strongest LOI, it won’t matter if you’re not applying to grants you qualify for. There are so many opportunities out there that it can be overwhelming.
We’ve put together The RIC Method for Identifying Funder Interests to help you know where to start.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to research funders more effectively, use Instrumentl to help you review funder insights, and gather insider tips by calling funders and past recipients.
👉 Download this freebie today!
Opportunities Spotlight
⛹️ Game On Community Places to Play Initiative
Who It’s For: Nonprofits focused on creating youth spaces and programming in under-resourced communities
Next Deadline: Aug. 29, 2025
Grant Amount: Up to $100,000
The Details:
- Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation strives to provide quality, safe, and accessible spaces for youths.
- They are funding programs that are building or renovating indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, as well as youth development program services, including life skills, civic engagement, workforce development, and academic support.
⭐ Versafund Grant Program: Impact Grant
Who It’s For: Nonprofits focused on humanitarian efforts in North America, Central America, Caribbean Islands, Colombia, Venezuela, and Micronesia
Next Deadline: October 31, 2025 (Letter of Inquiry)
Grant Amount: More than $40,000
The Details:
- The Versafund Foundation has been funding humanitarian efforts for more than 30 years, focusing on creative and innovative solutions to serve disadvantaged and underserved communities.
- While the Versafund Foundation is a faith-based organization affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist ministries, it funds projects spanning general education, science education, health and wellness, social justice, women and children, and youth and young adults. You do not have to be a faith-based organization to apply.
🔍 Explore even more grant opportunities here!
Networking Nook
💻 Webinar: How to Save 15 Hours per Week With Smarter Grant Tracking
July 31 | 1:00 PM CT
Managing multiple funders, deadlines, and documents is no easy feat — especially when you're juggling it all in an endless loop of spreadsheets. In this workshop, we’ll dig into practical strategies for organizing your grants portfolio — from application to award.
By the end of this one-hour workshop with Instrumentl, you’ll learn:
- 3 signs of organized grants management
- 7 actionable solutions for common grant management problems
- Key elements of “smarter” grant tracking to save up to 15 hours per week in research & management of your grants pipeline
Professional Credits: This session covers GPCI Competency 2. Full participation in this event is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B - Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.
Don’t miss it!
📅 Conference: Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit: Fundraising to the Future
Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 | Kansas City, MO
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Nonprofit Innovation & Optimization Summit, joining your peers for three days of learning, networking, and professional development. The programming will focus on demystifying fundraising to help catapult your efforts and secure your organization’s financial future through diversified funding.
Hurry!
To check out more recent and upcoming live events, go here.
In Case You Missed It
📑 Article: How to Write a Letter of Inquiry for Grant Funding
This article gives a primer on how to write your LOI, including a format overview. You’ll also learn actionable tips to help your letter stand out and see examples to guide you in writing your own.
📼 Video: 3 Ways to STAND OUT and Win the Grant!
Margit Braza Poirier shares her strategies for winning more grants in this 1-hour webinar. Her secret to success is founded on smarter project planning and intentional research to help match a funder’s interest.
🎙️ Podcast: Prospect Research #ChatBytes: Sphere of Influence Research With Chris Mildner
Prospect research advisor Chris Mildner shares more about how she uses her sphere of influence to help make connections. She leverages these connections with potential donors to secure more funding and strengthen donor relations.
Stay Funder Focused for Best Results
By keeping the funder at the center of all you do, you can stay connected to their purpose. As a result, you’ll build stronger partnerships and win more grants.
Instrumentl can be your secret weapon, transforming your research process. Our robust grant database makes it easy to understand funder requirements, upcoming deadlines, giving history, and so much more.
Get started today!
