Progressive Infrastructure Letter of Interest (LOI)

Introduction

To help organizations apply for progressive infrastructure funding, the Commonweal Institute (CI) is offering to act as a coordinator in the fund-seeking process. We have designed the following Letter of Interest (LOI) process. By using this LOI process, you as an applicant will save time and effort in having to identify potential funders and prepare multiple letters and proposals. You may also increase your chances of receiving funding.

During the March 2-5, 2006, convening, the Progressive Roundtable participants identified six capacities as top priority needs. Your organization may submit LOIs electronically for any of these priority needs for which it considers itself qualified. Your LOI(s) will be submitted to CI, which will then pass the LOIs on to funders who have identified themselves as being interested in receiving LOIs for one or more of the priority needs. CI will let your organization know when your LOI(s) have been sent and to whom. Once your LOI is submitted, decisions about soliciting proposals and funding will be made by the individual funders, who will be in touch with your organization directly.

In its role as coordinator, CI will advise each funder as to what other funders have expressed an interest in funding the same infrastructure capacity. This will make it possible for funders to coordinate their funding, including their review of applicants who have submitted LOIs.

How to Submit a Letter of Interest

1. The Letter of Interest has two sections: an Organization Profile and a Priority Need Activity Sheet. (For a downloadable Word version of the LOI, scroll down to the bottom of this page.)

2. Complete an Organization Profile (see below). Your organization need only submit one Organization profile.

3. Complete a Priority Need Activity Sheet (see below) for each separate priority infrastructure need your organizations proposes to address.

4. Submit the material in separate electronic files to loi@commonwealinstitute.org by March 31, 2006. You will receive an electronic notice of receipt. If you do not receive a notice of receipt within two business days of transmission, contact Leonard Salle at lmsalle@commonwealinstitute.org, 650-854-9796.

5. If a resubmittal is required, the final date for the resubmittal will be April 14, 2005.

1. Date

2. Name of organization

3. Address

4. Telephone number

5. Website URL

6. Legal status of organization

7. 501(c)(3) approval. If 501(c)(3), when incorporated and when received IRS approval for 501(c)(3) status (attach copy of 501(c)(3) approval letter or fax to 650-854-8132).

8. Where incorporated, if applicable

9. Organization head. Provide brief resume of CEO and/or Executive Director.

10. Corporate board. If applicable, provide brief resumes.

11. Advisory board or equivalent. Name, title, organization or professional background of each member.

12. Total organization budget. Provide a summary, not detailed, for 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 (projected). Attach pages or files as needed.

13. Number of staff and volunteers. Full-time equivalents of each.

14. Organization mission statement

1. Date

2. Name of organization

3. Infrastructure priority capacity in which your organization is interested

4. Contact individual (name, title, e-mail, telephone) for this LOI

5. Trajectory. Is this: (a) an area in which your organization (or its key staff) has already been working, (b) an area in which the organization already had concrete plans to expand, or (c) a new area for the organization?

6. Relationship to mission. How does the specific infrastructure capacity relate to the organization’s mission? (support by reference to specific materials where possible)

7. Intellectual work that the organization has done related to the specific infrastructure capacity of interest (list papers, articles, other)

8. Programmatic and/or project work that the organization has done related to the specific infrastructure capacity of interest (describe briefly)

9. Human resources. Staff or officers that have specific background or activities related to the area of interest – provide brief summary for each.

10. Special capabilities. Description of any special capabilities your organization has for taking on this new infrastructure capacity.

11. Others involved. Would your organization collaborate with other organization(s) or individual(s), e.g., as subcontractors or partners, in order to carry out this infrastructure capacity? If your organization already has a relationship with such other organization(s) or individual(s), please describe that relationship.

12. Summary of approach. Description of the approach your organization would use in executing the new infrastructure capacity or carrying out this project. If you see this as a first step or pilot project of something that might be expanded later, please describe briefly how it might be scaled up. (limit to one type-written page, single-space, 12 font).

13. Impact. Impact you anticipate would be achieved by building and carrying out this infrastructure capacity.

14. Funding request. Approximate total amount that will be needed annually for each of the first three years of the proposed activity, if executed as planned.