What to include in a letter of support for a grant
Some grant applications ask for a letter of support or commitment when there’s a partner organization or multiple stakeholders involved in a project. We find that organizations usually leave these for the last minute and find themselves scrambling to get a third party to write a letter of support.
A letter of support is similar to an MOU in a federal grant application. They’re usually a little less formal, though. This letter is often included as an attachment to a grant application, but you should think of it as an important piece of the argument you’re making in favor of your work.
Letters of support should:
- Thoroughly detail the agreement or relationship as it pertains to the grant application
- Include the representative’s signature and organization letterhead
- Add testimonies that prove the grant applicant’s suitability for the project/relationship
- Cite specific successes, metrics, goals, and objectives
- Name specific resources or people involved in the project
To save time, you can draft a letter for the signer. Or, give them bullet points to start with. No one likes staring at a blank page! There are plenty of great examples on the internet if you search for “sample letter of support,” or something similar.
Learn more about our grant writing services here.
Tom Nardone
29.01.2020 at 20:56Thanks for this. I’m writing my first grant ever. We are a small volunteer group that cleans up rivers and lakes. I have no experience with this, but we have social capital from cleaning up in the past. Now I know what to request from our supporters. We are called Trash Fishing. Thanks again.
Erica Mason-Colvin
27.01.2022 at 14:23I am wondering if my signature is included in the word count for a letter of recommendation in a grant proposal. Please advise
PGWAdmin
28.01.2022 at 07:34Hi Erica,
Thanks for the question. That’s hard to answer. If the letter needs to be uploaded into some sort of online system with a built-in word counter, then yes, any character (signature included) will go toward the word count. If it’s just a paper letter that you’re mailing as a hard copy, then I wouldn’t worry about the signature adding to the word count.
Good luck!