Lumina Foundation does not have a formal letter of inquiry (LOI) policy. However, we do review unsolicited requests. Unsolicited requests are reviewed by the grants management team for alignment with the Foundation's current strategic priorities. If the request aligns with current work, it is referred to a program officer for further review. Requests considered viable are invited to submit concept papers for further consideration by Lumina Executive Team members. Formal invitations for full proposal may be advanced following initial evaluation.

Lumina carefully reviews every grant inquiry that meets foundation guidelines. Following the initial review, we will inform applicants within two months of receipt whether the inquiry fits our current priorities and resources. Due to limited resources, we cannot request proposals from all inquiries that meet our criteria. If we decide to request a full proposal, a Program Officer will contact the applicant to request additional information and to provide instructions on applying for a grant. An invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee funding. Lumina carefully considers all solicited proposals; occasionally, we invite external experts to review proposals as well. We are diligent in our efforts to respond promptly to proposals. Assuming potential grantees' timely responses to requests for information, the entire review and approval process typically takes approximately six months.