Free tool
Letter of Inquiry Checker
Last updated
Paste your LOI to see word count, page estimate, reading level, and a five-element checklist (hook, need, approach, ask, close). Live updates as you type. Nothing is sent to a server. Free, no signup.
Nothing is sent to a server. The analysis runs entirely in your browser.
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Grant prose typically reads at grade 12–14. Below grade 10 often signals oversimplification; above grade 16 signals jargon-heavy academic writing that program officers struggle to scan.
Paste your LOI text to see which of the five required elements are present, weak, or missing.
Detection is pattern-based and conservative. “Weak” and “Not detected” mean we couldn't find clear signal — not necessarily that the element is absent.
This tool catches structural gaps. The GrantMind LOI generator drafts a tailored Letter of Inquiry from your organization profile and the funder's stated priorities, then the AI Reviewer scores your draft 0–100 against the funder's rubric.
Try the LOI generator freeWhat this tool checks
The checker runs three layers of analysis:
Length
Word count, sentence count, page estimate (single- and double- spaced), and a target check against the standard 1–2 page LOI length. Most foundations expect 350–700 words; some specify hard page limits in their guidelines.
Readability
Flesch reading ease and Flesch-Kincaid grade level — the two standard measures of how challenging a piece of prose is to scan. Grant prose should land at grade 12–14. Below grade 10 reads as oversimplified; above grade 16 reads as dense academic writing program officers struggle to scan in 30 minutes.
Five-element checklist
Almost every winning LOI has these five sections. The checker looks for pattern signals each one is present:
- Opening hook. First paragraph that names the funder's priority and your problem — ideally with a number.
- Statement of need. At least one credible statistic, ideally citing a recognized source (NAEP, Census, BLS, peer-reviewed research).
- Approach & capacity. What you do, how long you've done it, and at what scale. Concrete years and numbers; not adjectives.
- The ask. Specific dollar amount, specific time period, and what it pays for. Soft asks (“any level of support”) score badly.
- The close. Direct contact info plus an offer of next steps — further materials, a site visit, a call.
For a deeper walk-through of each element, with examples and a template you can adapt, see our pillar post: How to Write a Letter of Inquiry That Gets You Invited to Apply.
What this tool can't do
Pattern matching catches structural gaps. It can't tell you whether your alignment with the funder is real, whether your statistics are credible, whether your evaluation plan is sound, or whether your ask is appropriately sized for the funder's typical grant range. Those judgments require either funder- specific knowledge or an AI model that has read both your draft and the funder's priorities.
If the checker flags weak signal on an element, look at the section yourself before assuming the tool is right. Heuristics sometimes miss unusual but valid phrasings.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Letter of Inquiry be?
Most foundations expect a Letter of Inquiry to be 1–2 pages — roughly 350 to 700 words single-spaced. Some foundations specify a strict page limit; if so, follow it exactly. Going under the lower bound usually signals you skipped a section (often the need or capacity). Going significantly over signals you couldn't edit yourself, which is the same impression the LOI is supposed to dispel.
What are the required elements of an LOI?
Five sections do the work in nearly every LOI: (1) an opening hook that names the funder's priority and your problem, (2) a statement of need with at least one credible statistic, (3) a description of your approach and your organizational capacity, (4) a specific ask with dollar amount, time period, and what it pays for, and (5) a close offering next steps and contact information. The order is conventional but not absolute; what matters is that each question is answered.
How does this tool detect missing elements?
Pattern matching, not AI analysis. The checker looks for specific markers — funder mentions, statistics, dollar amounts, time periods, contact info, alignment language — and reports which patterns it found. "Weak" or "Not detected" means the patterns weren't found in your text. That's a signal to look at the section, not a verdict that it's broken. If your hook uses unusual phrasing for the funder alignment, it might still be a strong hook even if the tool can't see the pattern.
What's a good reading level for an LOI?
Grade 12 to 14 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale. Below grade 10 often signals oversimplification; above grade 16 signals dense academic writing that's hard for a busy program officer to scan. The Flesch reading ease score should land between 40 and 60 for most grant prose. Below 30 (very challenging) is a red flag — even strong arguments suffer when sentences are too long and word choice too dense.
Is anything I paste sent to a server?
No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, logged, or stored on our side. Closing the tab clears the text. We don't see your LOI.
How is this different from the GrantMind LOI generator?
This tool catches structural gaps in an LOI you've already written. The GrantMind LOI generator (paid, included in the 7-day trial) drafts a tailored LOI from your organization profile and the funder's stated priorities — and the AI Reviewer scores the draft 0–100 against the funder's published rubric. If you find yourself fixing the same structural gaps repeatedly, the generator is the upgrade path.
How long should it take to write a Letter of Inquiry?
A first-draft LOI written from scratch typically takes two to three hours. The funder research that should precede it (reading the foundation's Form 990, recent grants, program priorities, and last annual report) takes another two to three. So a real LOI written cold is most of a working day. Reusing a tested template and your existing organization profile cuts this substantially — most GrantMind users finish a sendable LOI in under 30 minutes.
Is the LOI checker free?
Yes. The checker is completely free, no signup required, and the analysis runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded or logged. The full GrantMind platform (LOI generator, AI Reviewer, funder matching, 17,000+ grant database, pipeline tracking) is a paid product with a 7-day free trial.
Generate an LOI in seconds, not hours
GrantMind's LOI generator drafts a tailored Letter of Inquiry from your organization profile and the funder's stated priorities. The AI Reviewer scores it 0–100 against the funder's rubric and tells you exactly what to fix. Most users finish a sendable LOI in under 30 minutes instead of half a day.
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