I think you hit the nail on the head - "small scale business". I don't
think that my situation merits a full time professional salaried
Marketing person. So, I've been trying to find an agency to help me
out. For some reason, agencies are being rather selective. I started
out thinking that they had to sell me on their ideas. Now I learn that
I have to sell them on mine. These are the folks that want me to come
to them with the Marketing Plan (complete with market research). Go
figure. Somebody obviously has far too much business.
snip

No, it is their way of finding out "Is this project funded?"

Are you for real?

What investment have you made to get your idea this far along?

From my perspective, they are just being prudent.

Lew