What is a letter of support?
Funders often ask applicants for letters of support from partners, community organisations, schools or businesses. The strongest letters are specific: they explain who the supporter is, what the project will do, why it matters from first-hand experience, and exactly what the supporter will contribute. The weakest are generic or, worse, promise more than the supporter can deliver.
This template addresses the letter to the funder or panel and names the applicant, project and grant program. It sets out who you are, what the project will do, why it matters and how you know the applicant, then lists the support you intend to give — staff time, space, data, introductions or promotion — with an optional in-kind value and an optional cash contribution. You choose whether support depends on the project being funded. A clear paragraph says the letter states good-faith intentions, not a legally binding commitment or a guarantee of the applicant's performance.
- Best for
- Partners backing grant applications, bids and community projects
- Signed by
- An authorised person at the supporting organisation
- Commitment
- Non-binding statement of intended support
- Length
- 1 to 2 pages
When to use a letter of support
- A library supporting a charity's digital inclusion grant
- A school backing a youth program's funding bid
- A business offering staff time and space to a community project
- A hospital department supporting a research grant with data access
- A council department supporting a local festival's arts funding application
What you fill in
18 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: supporter.
1 The letter
- Date of the letter*
- Supporting organisation*
- Supporting organisation's address
- About your organisation*
- Addressed to*
2 The project
- Applicant organisation*
- Project title*
- Grant program or purpose
- What the project will do*
- Why it matters*
- How you know the applicant*
3 Support
- Support you intend to give*
- Estimated value of in-kind support
- Support depends on* the project being funded · nothing further — we will support the project whether or not it is funded
- Does the support include money?* No · Yes
- Money you intend to contribute
4 Contact
- Contact for questions
- Contact email or phone
5 Who signs
- Supporter signature and date, job title · A person authorised to speak for the supporting organisation — usually its head or a senior manager.
Using the letter of support, step by step
1 Address the letter
Enter your organisation and a line about it, and who the letter is addressed to, such as a funder's review panel.
2 Describe the project
Name the applicant, the project and the grant program, then say what it will do, why it matters and how you know the applicant.
3 Set out your support
List the support you intend to give, any in-kind value or cash, and whether it depends on funding.
4 Sign and share
Sign it yourself and download the PDF for the applicant to include. A signed copy stays in your FileIt vault.
Tips before you send it
- Be specific. "Two hours a week of meeting room space" persuades a panel more than "our full support".
- Only include an in-kind value if you can show how you worked it out.
- Check the funder's guidance: some ask for letters on letterhead, addressed to a named person, or within a page.
- If you're committing money, agree a separate written agreement with the applicant once the grant is awarded.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Letter of support: frequently asked questions
Is a letter of support legally binding?
This one is written not to be. It states your support and present intentions in good faith, and says it isn't a contract, a binding commitment or a guarantee of the applicant's performance.
What's the difference between a letter of support and a letter of commitment?
A letter of support explains why you back a project and what you intend to contribute. Some funders ask for a letter of commitment that firmly pledges resources; if so, check their wording and consider a separate agreement.
Can I include money in a letter of support?
Yes. Choose that the support includes money and enter the amount; the letter makes it subject to your internal approvals and a separate written agreement with the applicant.
Is this template free?
Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in FileIt, and the people you send it to don't need a FileIt account to sign.