Letter of Support Examples, Templates, and Writing Tips

A Letter of Support may be written for a variety of different situations. The letter may be to support an applicant for college admission to an institution, support for a grant application, for a project, a family member or other situations. The letter is usually written by a person who knows the candidate or is familiar with a program and can provide sound reasons for considering the person or program for acceptance by the recipient.

A high school teacher may write a letter of support for a former student applying for college. An executive may write a letter of support to accompany a grant application.

Writing a letter of support helps the applicant have a better chance of being accepted for a position, having a grant approved, or achieving whatever other goals they are trying to accomplish. The letter of support is written by somebody that knows the applicant, such as a mentor, employer, colleague, or other person who can vouch for the applicant. Here are important rules to follow when writing a letter of support.

• Begin with the date that the letter is written on the top left of the page.
• Next, skip a line and include your name, your job title and your address
• Skip a line and write the recipient of the letter’s name, title and address
• Skip a line and write the Salutation
• Write the introductory paragraph. Introduce yourself, how you know the applicant, and state the purpose of the letter.
• The second paragraph indicates why you support the applicant with supporting information.
• Close with “Sincerely” skip a line, include your name, job title, and sign the letter.

A letter of support is meant to persuade the recipient to consider the applicant. Here are tips that can help you to write an effective support letter.

• Consider the audience before you start writing. Think about what this person needs to know to make an informed decision.
• Use a professional yet friendly tone.
• Keep your writing accurate and concise. Only include information that is relevant and use powerful words to get your point across.
• Provide factual evidence and stick to the topic.
• Avoid vague statements. Make sure that each sentence completes a thought and leaves no questions for the reader.
• Proofread your letter to make sure that there are no grammatical, spelling in punctuation errors.

Letter of Support (Word Template)

Reading samples of templates can help you to write a perfect Letter of Support. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started. Here are a few examples and templates that can give you ideas to help you get started writing your letter.

Letter of Support for Non-profit Organization

This document is generally written by a person who supports a nonprofit organization and who endorses the organization’s activities and mission. It is written most often to people who may have an interest in making donations to the organization or supporting it in some other ways. It is a persuasive letter that highlights the positive aspects of the organization and tells how donations are used.

Letter of Support for Individual

An individual may request a letter of support for several reasons. It may support a job application, for an admissions application to a school, college, or other institution, or for other reasons. This letter must contain information that tells how you know the person and the reasons why his or her application should be considered.

Letter of Support for Business

A letter of support for business is an endorsement that may be written by a customer who offers a positive review. It may also be written by another business professional who endorses the business. It can be written for advertisement or for a business’ application or nomination for an award or a grant.

Letter of Support for Student

This is a letter of support that is generally written by an instructor or administrator at the school where the student formerly attended. It is written to provide useful information to the admissions committee about the student’s strong points and accomplishments during the former school tenure.

Letter of Support for the Professor

A letter of support for the professor is often written by the administration when a professor is nominated for a special award or recognition. It can also be written by students or other persons who know the professor and can describe his or her significant accomplishments. It may also be written in support of a professor’s promotion by colleagues or supervisors.

There are several types of letters of support that you may be asked to write. By following a few simple tips, referring to a format, and viewing some examples of other letters, you can get a good idea of composing your letter of support for any situation that arises. A template that allows you to fill in the blanks and make a few changes to suit the occasion makes the task of writing a letter of support much easier. You’ll be well-prepared to write an effective support letter when you’re asked.