Letters of Support for Grant Applications: A Guide

A good letter of support can turn an application from a description of your plans into evidence that other people want them to happen. A weak one adds nothing, and an unwanted one can count against you. This guide explains when to use letters of support, who to ask, what a strong letter contains and how to make the process easy for the people writing them.

What a letter of support is for

A letter of support is a short statement from a person or organisation outside your own, backing your project. Funders use them to check three things:

• Need. Someone who works with the people you plan to help confirms the problem is real.
• Commitment. A partner confirms it will take part, refer people, provide a venue or contribute money or time.
• Credibility. An organisation the funder trusts vouches for your ability to deliver.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund puts it well. It says evidence of support is a good way of showing that you have spoken to other people and that they are interested in and committed to your project. For its £3,000 to £10,000 grants, it asks for letters from the people involved in your project, rather than general supportive statements. Its example: if you plan to deliver workshops at local youth clubs, a letter from the youth clubs shows they want to take part.

When to include letters, and when not to

Always follow the funder's instructions:

• Some funders ask for them. The Heritage Fund invites up to six pieces of evidence of support, such as letters, emails or feedback forms, for its £10,000 to £250,000 grants, and no more than six letters for its £3,000 to £10,000 grants.
• Some funders limit what you can send. The Heritage Fund also asks applicants not to submit extra documents beyond those listed, because it will not use them in assessment.
• Some funders accept no attachments. Garfield Weston Foundation asks for a single proposal of up to 10 A4 pages and says it cannot accept appendices. If you want to show support, quote it inside the proposal instead.

If the guidance does not mention letters, ask the funder or leave them out. Quoting one or two short lines from partners in your answers can work equally well.

Who to ask

The best letters come from people who are part of the project or close to the need. Good choices include:

• Delivery partners, such as a school, youth club or health service that will host sessions or refer people.
• People who will benefit, such as a residents' group or user panel. Short quotes or feedback forms from participants can be powerful.
• Referral agencies that see the need first-hand, such as a GP practice, social prescriber or advice centre.
• Funders and contributors confirming their part of the money. This is evidence of match funding rather than support, and some funders need it in a particular form. The Heritage Fund, for example, asks for a letter confirming the offer of funds or a bank statement for any cash contributions. See our match funding guide.
• Landowners or building owners giving permission. The Heritage Fund asks for a letter from the current owner if your project involves taking on the management of heritage.

Letters from local politicians or well-known figures can help in some cases, but a funder will usually value a letter from the youth club that will run the sessions above a general endorsement from someone not involved.

What a strong letter says

A strong letter of support is short, usually one page, and specific. It should:

1. Say who the writer is and their connection to the community or the people you work with.
2. Name the project and the funder, so it is clearly written for this application.
3. Confirm the need, ideally with something the writer has seen, such as a waiting list or the number of referrals they make.
4. State the commitment: what they will do, how often and for how long. For example, "we will host 20 sessions a year in our hall at no charge".
5. Give a value if they are contributing something, such as volunteer hours, a venue or money.
6. Be signed and dated, on headed paper where possible. The Heritage Fund says letters should be on headed paper or signed if possible.

A simple template to share

You will get better letters, faster, if you send partners a short brief. Here is a structure you can adapt:

[Partner's headed paper]

[Date]

To [funder name],

I am writing as [role] at [organisation] to support [your organisation]'s application for [project name].

[Organisation] works with [who] in [area]. We see [the need], for example [specific evidence].

As part of this project, we will [specific commitment, such as frequency, duration and value].

We believe this project will [the difference it will make] because [reason].

Yours sincerely,

[Name, role, contact details]

Encourage partners to put it in their own words. Funders notice when every letter uses the same sentences.

Other kinds of evidence of support

Letters are not the only way to show support. The Heritage Fund, for example, says evidence of support can include letters, emails or feedback forms. Depending on the funder, you could also use:

• Survey results from the people you plan to help, with the number who took part
• Short quotes from participants or partners, used inside your answers
• Attendance or waiting list figures that show demand already exists
• Minutes or notes from a community meeting where the project was discussed
• Pledges of volunteer time or donations from local people

Use whatever the funder accepts, and keep the originals in case the funder asks to see them.

Timing and practical tips

• Ask early. Give partners at least two to three weeks. Busy organisations need time to get sign-off.
• Send a one-page summary of the project with your request: what, who, when and what you are asking them to commit to.
• Offer a draft if they would find it helpful, but let them change it.
• Keep a log of who you asked, when, and when letters arrived.
• Check the details in every letter match your application: project name, dates and numbers.
• Thank them, and tell them the outcome. You may need their support again.

Letters of support and the rest of your bid

Letters back up your application; they do not replace it. Your statement of need should still set out the evidence, and your answers should still explain your plan and the difference it will make. Our guide to how funders assess grant applications explains how assessors weigh evidence, and our guide on how to write a grant application covers the rest of the process.

Find grants and plan your application

GrantMatch lists open grants with their deadlines and requirements, so you can see early whether a fund asks for supporting documents. Browse grants for community groups, or create a free profile and we will match you with the right funders.