
In a previous blog, we talked about how important community support is to winning grants.
The best way to prove that you have ample community support is through a letter of support (or its stronger cousin, a letter of commitment).
In this blog, we'll offer three tips for crafting a strong letter (including providing a letter of support template you and your partners can use to make a compelling case for support).
Why You Need Strong Letters of Support
Broad community support helps to convince funders that your organization is positioned to successfully complete a project that meets the funder’s goals.
For instance, having a broad base of supporters proves that your organization knows how to collaborate well and has strong community ties, a pool of resources and expertise and the means for effective outreach to program participants.
Tip 1: Know Who to Ask
In general, you want ten or more compelling letters of support or commitment.
When making a list of who you will reach out to, ask yourself:
Which stakeholders will be impacted the most by your project?
Whose feedback do you need for a successful program design?
Who are your biggest supporters?
The best supporters for your project will be those most invested in its success and whose support will carry the greatest weight with the funder. For example, grants focusing on justice-involved populations may require a letter from local law enforcement, correctional agencies or the courts.
Remember, it can take time to collect these letters, so make sure you reach out early.
Tip 2: Be Specific
The more concrete the details in your letter, the better.
A strong letter of support should be specific about how your supporters will be involved with the project (as applicable) and why they are committed to its success. If they are long-time collaborators, they can also mention how long they have partnered with you and for what initiatives.
Tip 3: Avoid Cookie-Cutter Verbiage
While it may be tempting to copy and paste verbiage from the internet and make minor tweaks for various letters, it is important that each letter of support is unique to the partnering organization.
It shows more commitment to the project when a person takes the time to craft a compelling letter of support and will impress reviewers more. So, make sure your letters are original and reveal your partners’ passion.
Letter of Support Template
As a team of grant writers, we know how intimidating a blank screen can be.
That is why we have created this free Letter of Support Template which will guide you and your partners in crafting a compelling letter. It includes an example letter to inspire your own.
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