How Do I Write a Letter of Intent for a Grant?

What a letter of intent is actually for

For many grants, the LOI is the door to the money. A clear one-page letter is how you get a shot at a full application for, say, a $10,000 grant.

A letter of intent (LOI) is a funder's first screen. Funders don't want you to spend hours on a proposal that won't fit. So they ask for a short letter first. Staff read it to see whether your project fits what they fund. If it does, they invite a full application. If it doesn't, everyone saves time.

That changes how you write it. An LOI is not a shrunken proposal. It is a clear, confident pitch. It answers one question for the reader: is this worth inviting?

Some funders call it a letter of inquiry, a concept paper or a pre-application. Some federal funding notices on Grants.gov also ask for a letter of intent or pre-application. The notice itself says whether it is required or optional. Whatever the name, read the funder's instructions first. A form, portal or word limit from the funder beats any general advice, including this post.

The parts, in order

A good LOI follows the order a busy reader thinks in. Each part can be a short paragraph.

1. Who you are. Your business or organization name, what you do, where you do it, and for how long. One or two sentences of credibility, not your whole history. The funder is checking: are you real and capable?
2. The need. The specific problem your project addresses, in concrete terms. Who is affected, and what happens if nothing changes. The funder is checking: is this a real, specific problem?
3. The project. What you will do, who will do it, and what will be different when it's done. Name outcomes you can actually track. The funder is checking: is there a clear plan with results?
4. The ask. One exact dollar amount and what it pays for. If the project has other funding, say so briefly. The funder is checking: is the amount specific and within our range?
5. Fit with the funder. Why this project matches the funder's own stated priorities. Use their language where it honestly applies. The funder is checking: does this match what we fund?

What the whole letter looks like

Here is the shape of a one-page LOI. Swap each bracket for your own facts.

• [Date]
• [Program officer's name], [Funder name], [Address or email]
• Dear [Name],
• Who you are: [Business or organization name] has served [town or region] since [year], providing [what you do] to [who you serve].
• The need: [Specific problem] affects [who]. Without action, [what happens if nothing changes].
• The project: We plan to [what you will do] over [time period], led by [who]. When it's done, [result you can measure].
• The ask: We request $[total]: $[amount] for [item] and $[amount] for [item].
• Fit: This matches your stated priority of [funder's own words], because [reason].
• Thank you for considering this request. We would welcome the chance to submit a full proposal.
• [Your name], [title], [email], [phone]

If you want a fill-in version with these sections already laid out, use the grant letter of intent template.

How long, and what tone

Check the funder's instructions for a length limit; a funder may cap an LOI at a page or two. Some set a word or character limit in an online form. Stay under the limit. A reader who sees you respect a short limit trusts you more with a long one.

The tone is professional and warm. Think of a well-prepared conversation with someone you respect. Write in plain sentences. Skip jargon and superlatives like "world-class" or "unprecedented." Specific facts persuade better than adjectives.

Address the letter to a named program officer if the funder lists one. Use letterhead if you have it. Sign it as the person with authority to commit your business or organization.

Two short hypothetical examples

Picture Tanya, who runs a small nonprofit after-school music program in a rural town. Her local family foundation asks for an LOI before full proposals. Her ask paragraph might read:

"We request $12,000 to expand our after-school music program for one semester: $8,000 to buy student instruments and $4,000 for a part-time instructor's stipend. This lets us open our program to students currently on our waitlist."

One number. Two line items that add up to it. A plain sentence about what changes. A tight ask paragraph gives the reader one clear number to weigh; the funder still decides.

Now picture Marcus, who runs a two-truck landscaping company. He has found a funder that accepts for-profit applicants. His ask paragraph might read:

"We request $10,000: $7,000 for a used trailer and $3,000 for safety gear, so we can take on two more commercial contracts."

Same pattern: one exact amount, what each piece pays for, and the result. Before a small business writes to any funder, check its eligibility page to confirm it accepts businesses.

Common mistakes that get an LOI passed over

• Ignoring the funder's instructions. Wrong length, missing fields, or a mailed letter when they asked for a portal.
• No clear ask. "Any support would help" gives the reader nothing to approve. Name one amount.
• Asking outside their range or focus. If the funder publishes an award range or priority areas, stay inside them.
• Writing a generic letter. A letter that could go to any funder reads like one. Tie your project to this funder's stated mission.
• Burying the point. If the reader has to reach the last paragraph to learn what you want, move it up.
• Overpromising. Claim only results you can measure and back up. If you're invited, the full proposal has to match.
• Missing the LOI deadline. Some funders set an LOI due date well before the full proposal deadline. Check the live deadlines list and the funder's own page for real dates.

What happens after you send it

The funder reviews your LOI. Then it invites a full proposal, declines, or doesn't respond. An invitation is good news. But it is an invitation to apply, not a promise of funding.

If you're invited, the full proposal expands each part of your LOI. It adds detail, a budget and supporting documents. Start from the grant proposal template, and keep your facts consistent with your LOI. For nonprofits, the guide on how to write a nonprofit grant application walks through the full proposal step by step.

If you're declined, it's fine to send a short, polite note. Ask whether they'd welcome a future letter. Some funders answer; some don't. Either way, you've spent a few hours, not weeks.

Getting help drafting it

Writing a grant letter can feel like a job only a paid professional can do. Some applicants hire one; others draft it themselves. You know your business or organization better than anyone.

An LOI is short, but short is hard. You have to choose what matters and cut the rest. If a blank page is what's stopping you, WinAGrant's AI Grant Writer drafts the letter with you. It works from your own answers about who you are, the need, the project and the ask.

Every AI Grant Writer draft is sent to WinAGrant's in-house AI review. It flags claims it cannot trace to your answers, so you can confirm or cut them before sending. You stay the author. The funder decides.

For free one-on-one help, SCORE offers volunteer business mentoring. A mentor can read your draft with fresh eyes before it goes out.

Sources

• Grants.gov
• SCORE