Funders want to see that you have friends.
A letter of support can be incredibly important to your application narrative. The letter lets you highlight collaborative relationships, building trust and credibility for the work you do.
Is there a partner in the project? Are you getting in-kind services from a well-established organization?
When you ask an organization to write a letter on your behalf, always offer to draft one for them. Folks may not have the time to write a letter that says what you’d like it to say. If you offer to draft it, nine times out of ten they’ll take you up on the offer and be very appreciative.
A letter of support should share the history of the relationship, perhaps citing specific successes you’ve had working together. It should also include a clear recommendation for your organization’s ability to carry out the project, and it should be submitted on their organization’s letterhead.
A grant application doesn’t leave a lot of room for bragging, so if supporting documents are allowed, take advantage of the opportunity and include at least one letter of support.
Tiffany Hilman 