Free Grant Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Template for Word: Request Summary, Need, Program, Outcomes and Budget Table with Formulas

What's inside

The document has 2 pages. Each part below is a heading in the file, so you can jump to it from the Navigation Pane (View > Navigation Pane).

Part	What it covers	What you write
Letter opening	Who it is to and what you ask for	Date, funder address, Re line with program, amount and period, salutation, one-paragraph request
The need	Why the work matters now	Local numbers compared with a benchmark
Program and outcomes	What you will do and what will change	How the program works; four measurable outcomes
Budget summary	What it costs and who else pays	Line items, formula total, request and share, other funders
Background and close	Why you can deliver	Track record, budget size, contact details, signature

Before you start

Read the funder’s guidelines: page limit, format, deadline, and whether they accept unsolicited letters at all.
Check that your program really fits one of their stated priorities; quote the priority in the opening paragraph only if it does.
Have your program budget and other committed funding ready; the budget table needs them.

Step-by-step guide

Fill in the opening
Pick the date, type the program officer’s name, title and foundation address, and complete the Re line with program, amount and grant period.
State the request first
One paragraph: who you are, how much, for what, over how long, and which funder priority it matches.
Show the need with numbers
Use two or three local figures and compare them with a state or national benchmark.
Describe the program and outcomes
Say how the program works in plain words, then list outcomes someone could measure a year from now.
Update the budget
Type over the line items and amounts, then select the table and press F9 so the total and share recalculate.
Close and sign
Add your track record, invite the next step, and sign with the executive director’s name and title.

Field and control map

Every content control and field in the document, in the order they appear. Gray-boxed fields in Word are the content controls.

Name	Type	Where	Value in the sample
Organization header	Text	Header	Northside Reading Partners
Letter date	Date picker	Body	November 9, 2026
Recipient name	Text	Body	Ms. Andrea Whitlock
Recipient title	Text	Body	Program Officer, Education
Foundation	Text	Body	The Miller Family Foundation
Foundation address	Text	Body	250 West Third Street, Suite 900, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Program name	Text	Body	Read by Third grade literacy program
Amount requested	Text	Body	$75,000
Grant period	Dropdown	Body	two years (one year / two years / three years)
Salutation	Text	Body	Ms. Whitlock
Contact email	Text	Body	mreyes@northsidereading.example
Signer name	Text	Body	Maria Reyes
Signer title	Text	Body	Executive Director
`{ PAGE }`	Field	Footer	1
`{ NUMPAGES }`	Field	Footer	2
`{ =SUM(ABOVE) \# "#,##0" } …`	Field	Body	2 table formulas: 186,500, 40% …
`{ SEQ Table \* ARABIC }`	Field	Body	1

Every field, control and style, explained

The code in each card is read straight from the .docx file (the XML Word stores, or the field code you see with Alt+F9), so it is exactly what the template contains.

Page X of YFooter

Page { PAGE } of { NUMPAGES }

The footer counts pages with two fields: PAGE is the current page and NUMPAGES is the total. Both recalculate when the document is printed, saved as PDF or scrolled in Print Layout.

Piece by piece

PAGE: The number of the page the field sits on.
NUMPAGES: The total number of pages in the document.

In the sample: Page 1 of 2 on the first page

How it is used: Nothing to do: add or delete pages and the numbers follow.

How to change it: Double-click the footer to edit the text around the fields. Insert > Page Number > Format Page Numbers sets the starting number.

Learn this: How to Set Up Pages in Word: Margins, Breaks, Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers →

Numbered table captionsCaptions above tables

{ SEQ Table \* ARABIC }

Each table caption uses a SEQ field that counts tables in order. Insert a new captioned table in the middle and every later caption renumbers.

Piece by piece

SEQ Table: A counter named "Table". Every SEQ Table field adds 1.
\* ARABIC: Show the counter as 1, 2, 3.

In the sample: 1 caption(s): Table 1

How it is used: Captions are what a "see Table 2" cross-reference points to (References > Cross-reference).

How to change it: References > Insert Caption adds a new one. If numbers look stale, press Ctrl+A then F9 to update all fields.

Learn this: How to Add a Table of Contents, Captions, and Cross-References in Word →

Table formulasCalculated table cells

{ =SUM(ABOVE) \# "#,##0" }
{ =B9/B8*100 \# "0%" }

Some cells are Word formula fields, not typed numbers. Word tables address cells like a spreadsheet: columns A, B, C from the left and rows 1, 2, 3 from the top. A field such as { =B2*C2 } multiplies two cells, and { =SUM(ABOVE) } adds every number above it in the column.

Piece by piece

=B2*C2: Multiply the cells in column B and column C of row 2.
=SUM(ABOVE): Add the numbers above, up to the first empty or text cell.
\# "#,##0.00": Number format: thousands separator and two decimals.

In the sample: 2 formula fields. Last result: 40%

How it is used: Type the new counts, then select the whole table and press F9 to recalculate. Word does not recalculate table formulas on its own the way Excel does. To refresh them on every print, turn on File > Options > Display > Update fields before printing.

How to change it: Right-click a result > Edit Field > Formula to change the formula or number format. Press Alt+F9 to show every field code at once.

Learn this: How to Use Mail Merge and Fields for Letters, Labels, and Certificates in Word →

Fill-in fields (plain text content controls)Gray-boxed fields

<w:sdtPr>
  <w:alias w:val="Recipient name"/>
  <w:tag w:val="recipient_name"/>
  <w:text/>
</w:sdtPr>

Names, numbers and other details people change every time are plain text content controls. Click one and type: the text replaces the sample, keeps the formatting, and the field still shows its name when selected.

Piece by piece

<w:alias w:val="…"/>: The title shown on the control’s tab when you click it.
<w:tag w:val="…"/>: A machine-readable name, useful for mail merge or code.
<w:text/>: Plain text: one line, one format, so pasted text cannot break the layout.
<w:showingPlcHdr/>: Present when the field shows gray placeholder text instead of a value.

In the sample: Recipient name = Ms. Andrea Whitlock

How it is used: 11 in this template: Organization header, Recipient name, Recipient title, Foundation, Foundation address, Program name, Amount requested, Salutation, Contact email, Signer name, Signer title. Use Developer > Design Mode to see every control at once, or the Selection Pane to jump between them.

How to change it: Developer > Properties changes the title, tag and placeholder. To show the Developer tab: File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Developer.

Learn this: How to Create Fillable Forms with Content Controls in Word →

Date pickersDate fields

<w:sdtPr>
  <w:alias w:val="Letter date"/>
  <w:tag w:val="letter_date"/>
  <w:date w:fullDate="2026-11-09T00:00:00Z">
    <w:dateFormat w:val="MMMM d, yyyy"/>
    <w:lid w:val="en-US"/>
    <w:storeMappedDataAs w:val="dateTime"/>
    <w:calendar w:val="gregorian"/>
  </w:date>
</w:sdtPr>

Dates are date picker content controls: click the arrow to pick from a calendar, or type a date in any format and Word shows it as "November 2, 2026".

Piece by piece

w:fullDate: The stored date, independent of how it is shown.
<w:dateFormat w:val="MMMM d, yyyy"/>: Display format: full month name, day, four-digit year.
<w:lid w:val="en-US"/>: Language used for month names.
<w:storeMappedDataAs w:val="dateTime"/>: Stores a real date value if the control is mapped to data.

In the sample: Letter date = November 9, 2026

How it is used: 1 in this template: Letter date. Pick the date from the calendar so every date in the document has the same format.

How to change it: Developer > Properties > Display the date like this, for example d MMMM yyyy or yyyy-MM-dd.

Learn this: How to Create Fillable Forms with Content Controls in Word →

Dropdown listsStatus and choice fields

<w:sdtPr>
  <w:alias w:val="Grant period"/>
  <w:tag w:val="grant_period"/>
  <w:dropDownList>
    <w:listItem w:displayText="one year" w:value="one year"/>
    <w:listItem w:displayText="two years" w:value="two years"/>
    <w:listItem w:displayText="three years" w:value="three years"/>
  </w:dropDownList>
</w:sdtPr>

Fields with a fixed set of answers are dropdown list content controls, so everyone uses the same words (useful when you search or count documents later).

Piece by piece

<w:dropDownList>: A list the reader must pick from (no free typing).
<w:listItem w:displayText="…" w:value="…"/>: One choice: the text shown and the value stored.

In the sample: Grant period = two years (one year / two years / three years)

How it is used: 1 in this template: Grant period. Click the field and choose from the list.

How to change it: Developer > Properties > Add, Modify or Remove choices. Use a Combo Box instead if people need to type their own answer.

Learn this: How to Create Fillable Forms with Content Controls in Word →

Repeating table headersEvery table with a dark header row

<w:trPr>
  <w:cantSplit/>
  <w:tblHeader/>
</w:trPr>

Header rows are marked to repeat at the top of each page when a table breaks, and rows are set not to split across pages, so a long table stays readable when printed.

Piece by piece

<w:tblHeader/>: Repeat this row at the top of each page.
<w:cantSplit/>: Keep each row on one page.

In the sample: 1 of 1 tables repeat their header row

How it is used: Add rows with Tab in the last cell; the header keeps repeating.

How to change it: Click in the header row > Table Layout > Repeat Header Rows. Short tables are also set to keep with the next paragraph so they do not split.

Learn this: How to Build and Format Tables That Read Well in Word →

Guidance notesGray italic notes

<w:style w:type="paragraph" w:styleId="Guidance">
  <w:name w:val="Guidance"/>
  <w:basedOn w:val="Normal"/>
  <w:pPr>
    <w:spacing w:after="100"/>
  </w:pPr>
  <w:rPr>
    <w:i/>
    <w:iCs/>
    <w:color w:val="6B7280"/>
    <w:sz w:val="19"/>
  </w:rPr>
</w:style>

Instructions for whoever fills in the template use a Guidance style (gray italics). Delete them before you send the document; with a style, Find and Replace can remove them all at once.

Piece by piece

<w:i/>: Italic.
<w:color w:val="6B7280"/>: Gray text.

In the sample: One note under the title block.

How it is used: Home > Replace > More > Format > Style > Guidance finds every note.

How to change it: Right-click Guidance in the Styles gallery > Modify.

Learn this: How to Use Styles and the Navigation Pane in Word →

Tips and limits

Keep it to two pages. If the funder gives a word limit, it overrides everything else.
Lead with the request. A program officer reading 40 letters should know what you want from the first paragraph.
Outcomes are changes in people, not activities: “70% gain a grade level”, not “we will hold 300 sessions”.
Name other funders and in-kind support. Foundations rarely want to be the only source.
Word table formulas do not update by themselves: press F9 on the table before you save as PDF.

Grant Proposal Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Template for Word

What you can do with it

What's inside

Before you start

Step-by-step guide

Fill in the opening

State the request first

Show the need with numbers

Describe the program and outcomes

Update the budget

Close and sign

Field and control map

Every field, control and style, explained

Tips and limits

Learn the skills behind this template