More information: Letters of support and recommendation

Who should you ask to write a letter of support?

Ask writers who have a genuine connection to your mahi:

• Community members, participants, or whānau who've benefited from your mahi.
• Partner organisations, iwi/rūnanga representatives, local councils, schools, or other agencies you've worked with.
• Experts, professionals, or leaders in your sector who can speak to the need or your credibility.

Check the funder guidelines for the number of letters they require.

How to get strong letters of support from writers?

• Provide background: Share your project summary, outcomes, what you're asking the funder for, and why it matters. This makes it easy for the writer to know what they’ve been asked to support.
• Give them pointers: Suggest what to include (see below) without writing it for them - let them use their own words.
• Be clear on timing: Ask early (funders often have deadlines) and give a reasonable timeframe.
• Follow up politely: Offer to answer questions and thank them.

What should a letter include? 

(Pointers to share with writers)

Ask writers to cover these points:

• Their relationship to your organisation - how they know you, how long, and in what role (e.g. "We've partnered on events for three years" or "As a local resident, I've seen the impact of their programmes").
• How the project meets a need, and why it's important in the community right now.
• The benefits and impact - what positive changes the project will bring (e.g. to individuals, whānau, or the wider area).
• Their support and involvement, for example, are they offering in-kind help, venue access, ongoing partnership, or simply endorsement.

If the writer is from an organisation, ask for the letter to be on official letterhead and signed and dated.

For further guidelines on tips for writers about what to include in support letters, see Community Trust South's helpful 1-page guide.

Next steps

When preparing your funding application, list 2–3 potential supporters early. Draft a short one-pager about your project to share with them, and include the pointers above.