In early March 2026, we hosted six informational webinars on our updated eligibility guidelines and funding priorities ahead of our Letter of Inquiry (LOI) submission window opening March 9th. We strongly encourage any organization considering an LOI in this submission cycle to watch the General Grantmaking webinar and the webinar that aligns with your project’s focus area. You can access all recordings here.
We received excellent questions throughout the sessions, and have responded by updating some guidelines for further clarity. We also have responses below to some common FAQs. As we stated in the sessions, we believe that clear is kind, and clarity is respect. These communications are part of our effort to lend clarity to the application process, which we know can be complex.
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FAQ Responses #
LOI Preparation and Submission #
Q: How can we prepare our LOI before the submission window opens?
Please visit our Letter of Inquiry page on our website to see a description of what will be asked in the LOI.
Q: Do we have to wait a full year to resubmit if our LOI was declined, or just if the full application was declined?
If your LOI was declined, you may submit a new LOI for a different project in the next submission window. If your full application was declined, you must wait one year before submitting a new LOI. We have added an Eligibility Guideline to clarify this question – please see Project Eligibility Section 3.
Q: If a grant was awarded, do we wait three years to submit a new LOI from when the grant was awarded or when the most recent funds were distributed?
If your application was awarded a grant, you must wait three years from the “Grant Awarded” date on your award letter before submitting a new LOI. This is different from the last date funds were distributed. We have updated an Eligibility Guideline to clarify this question – please see Project Eligibility Section 3.
Q: Do the LOI submission windows apply to initiative grants, or just Strategic Project grants?
The LOI submission windows apply only to Strategic Project and Scientific Research Instrumentation grants – not initiative grants or programs.
Q: What if our eligibility date falls just after a window closes — can we apply in that window rather than waiting for the next one?
Once your organization is eligible to submit a new LOI (i.e. it has been three years since a Grant Awarded date or one year since your application was declined), you can submit in the next available window.
LOI Demand & Cap on Submissions #
Q: How will organizations know when the LOI cap has been reached?
Once the LOI cap has been reached, we will state this on our Submittable landing page and on the Strategic Project Grant Application Process page.
Q: Are you open to receiving improved versions of previously declined proposals, since there were so many you wanted to fund last cycle?
We are not able to reconsider previously declined proposals. While the last cycle saw exceptional demand and many strong proposals, revisiting prior submissions would limit our capacity to consider new projects. We encourage organizations with previously declined proposals to review our current funding priorities and eligibility guidelines, and to align any future LOIs with the funding priorities of your project’s focus area.
Q: It sounds like you are now prioritizing relationships with existing grantees over new relationships. Is that correct?
The Trust is eager to work with both new and existing grantees, and we anticipate that our upcoming funding cycle will see many LOIs from both. One of the Trust’s values is being a relational funder, and our experience as a funder has shown the importance of investing in organizations over years to build on the capacity a previous grant might have created. For this reason, we are providing one extra week in our current submission window for those who recently received a grant (within the last four years) to continue the momentum in their strong work, but we eagerly anticipate seeing LOIs from both new and existing grantees who are doing work within our funding priorities. As a reminder, this LOI cap and segmented submission window is a pilot for the current submission period only, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we seek solutions to engage with the recent extraordinary grant demand.
Collaboration #
Q: Can a current grantee (awarded within the last three years) serve as a collaborator if the lead applicant is eligible to submit a new LOI?
Yes. Submission frequency guidelines do not apply to collaborative projects (for both lead applicants and collaborators). See our updated guidelines in Project Eligibility Section 5.
Q: If several organizations receive funding for a collaborative project, do all participating organizations then have to wait three years to apply for a new project?
No. Submission frequency guidelines do not apply to collaborative projects (for both lead applicants and collaborators). See our updated guidelines in Project Eligibility Section 5.
If you have further questions from the webinars, we encourage you to read our Eligibility Guidelines in full, then reach out to our team at grants@murdocktrust.org for further clarity if needed. We will also continue to provide updates on our website.
Most importantly, thank you for your work in our communities, and for making our world a better place for all.
Together with you,
Pauline Fong