The Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Fund

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Instructions for Letters of Inquiry -- please follow the instructions precisely as written.

This initial step permits the SSJCF staff to give a preliminary review of your project. Your Letter of Inquiry will receive a prompt response indicating whether or not you should proceed with a formal application and proposal.

We want your project or idea to receive full consideration. Letters of Inquiry submitted well in advance of the deadline afford us the time to contact and work with you.

FormatYour letter should:  
  • be DOUBLE-SPACED

  • be printed in a minimum of 12-point font 

  • be two pages or less

  • be structured including the headings below

  • have one-inch margins

It is important that you respond completely and succinctly to each heading.  Due to constraints of time and staffing, we are unable to review Letters of Inquiry that are incomplete, received after the deadline, and/or are not formatted according to the instructions.

Start each section of your Letter of Inquiry with the following headings:

Who:

  • Name and address of the organization.  (Be sure to include a contact name,  address,  and phone number!) 

  • A brief description of the purpose and mission of the organization, its tax-exempt status (are you a 501(c)3 organization?), and a brief summary of the organization’s achievements, particularly as they relate to the identified need/problem or issue to be addressed.

  • Indicate if you have submitted a Letter of Inquiry and/or proposal in the past and if you have received funding from the SSJCF.

What:

  • A statement of the problem or need and the targeted population you plan to address, evidence of its importance; and, 

  • how this project fits within the scope of the Charitable Fund's mission.

Which:

  • There are three funding program areas:  (1) Community Grant Program; (2) More Active People Initiative; and (3) Health Ministry Initiative.  

  • Choose only one; briefly explaining why that one area would be appropriate to your project.

How:

  • An explanation of how the problem will be addressed. 

  • A brief project description -- in other words: specifically, for what will the funding be used. 

    (The SSJCF has two types of proposal guidelines:  capital/technology and program.  Therefore, in order that you receive the correct set of materials, it is very important that you describe how the funding will be used.)

  • Anticipated achievements or outcomes should also be included.

When:

  • A description of the timeframe for the proposed activities.

Where:

  • The geographic area(s) (state, county) to benefit from your request (for example, your agency is located in Wood County, WV, but your project will benefit/serve residents in Wood, Ritchie, and Jackson Counties).

How Much:

  • total cost for the entire project;  

  • the specific amount requested from the SSJCF; and

  • other sources of support for the project.

Rarely is the SSJCF the sole funder of a project.  In fact, collaboration is a critical element in a successful request.  Whether it's financial assistance, in-kind donations, or volunteer efforts, the SSJCF looks for others who demonstrate commitment to your request.

Mail your Letter of Inquiry to:

Deadline(s)

Sister Jane Harrington, SSJ
SSJ Charitable Fund
P.O. Box 4440
Parkersburg, WV  26104-4440

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