63+ Sample Letter of Support template

What is a Letter of Support

The expression of support transforms through time and circumstance. It can come in groups, such as from families and friends. Support can also come in individual packages, such as personal letter of recommendation from previous colleagues and executives. These commendations and acknowledgments from bosses are often formally written in a letter format. These letters of support basically do what its name suggests. It expresses support for a particular applicant or cause to persuade the other party—the recipient of the message.

When Do We Need to Write Letters of Support?

As doors and windows of opportunities open, sometimes a person requires an extra push from others. In order to fulfill these opportunities, there are several elements to deliver. Naturally, the organizations that offer these chances thoroughly filter the applications. And one requirement that makes an applicant stand out is the content of their letters of support. These documents are expectedly more personal. This material is one of the tools of the organization to know the applicants on a more personal level.

When Vying for a Spot in the Academe: Letters of support are necessary for students who want to enroll in their dream colleges and universities. Apart from passing the entrance exams and filing their essays, one way to keep their best foot forward is by presenting their value for the university. Words from a previous boss or professor can make the student’s application form stand out, especially when it highlights their work ethic and other desirable traits that will be an asset to the school. Apart from school applications, letters of support are also necessary when applying for scholarship and research grants. For these cases, the letter must highlight the person or group’s need for the funding. Ideally, it must also consist of what the guarantors can get should they decide to fund the individual or research group. When Applying for a Job: Similar to letters of support required for school applications, employers also demand these letters from their applicants. A letter of support serves as one of the tools in checking the background statement of the applicants. It is best to come from former bosses and co-employees, those who have the credibility to vouch for your future performance basing from your previous ones. A letter of support can make your application stand out from the others, especially when it points out your significant contributions to your former organization.When Requesting for Immigration Documents: Another avenue where letters of support are necessary is when someone undergoes any immigration-related process. It is needed when someone applies for either a visa or a citizenship naturalization process. Likewise, it is also necessary for immigration removal proceedings. The person writing on behalf of the applicant must present the positive qualities of the possible immigrant, such as their work ethic or their character within the society. It is also vital to point out the potential contributions of the applicant to the community that they will transfer. Similar to the letter’s role in job applications, it also serves as a document for character reference letters.When Encouraging for Donations and Moral Support: Letters of support also comes in handy when non-profit organizations need funding to support their petition letter. For this matter, the letters are used to encourage other organizations to take part and support in their call. In this case, the best letters come from the primary stakeholders and recipients of the organization’s advocacy. Having the letter from them is the best proof for the readers that the agency lives up to what they are saying. Say, for example, that the agency’s main stakeholders are children who are in conflict with the law. The letter of support can come from the children, the family of the children, and an official from the government unit where the child is under. It can either state how the organization helped them and improved their lives or how the crime rate made by younger individuals dropped since the intervention of the organization. The ideal ends for these letters are calls to action, to encourage the reader to be part of the movement.

The Power and Necessity of Support

After looking into the necessity of support in proper settings, such as for applying for work or school. Support is innately crucial for an individual’s growth. Let’s take a look into how it affects the other facets of a person’s development.

Personal Well-being

A person’s well-being concerns individual comfort and health. Physical health, for most people, is the only basis of a person’s well-being. But, in reality, it is only a fraction of what holistic well-being actually is. It takes into account the physical, emotional, financial plan, environmental, intellectual, spiritual, and social. As a matter of fact, support plays a crucial role in grooming both the social and emotional factions of well-being. Support coming from the significant people in an individual’s life helps in achieving their full potential, therefore furthering their development. In particular, there are several clinical claims that receiving adequate social support lessens an individual’s anxiety and stress levels. Social support can also help an individual succeed in more endeavors because of the needed external drive to do it.

Employee Engagement and Career Growth

In line with social support’s implication on personal development, it also plays a key role in an individual’s work-life. Its role in the workplace enhances employee engagement surveys, retention, and loyalty. Employees remain loyal in firms and organizations who makes it visible that they value them. One way that companies show their support to their employees is by providing opportunities for learning and career growth. Training your employees to be more competent in their current roles helps them fulfill their potential. Also, these individuals already have a sense of what they are capable of. Therefore, they are actively looking for areas and instances that can aid them in developing these skills.

How to Compose a Compelling Letter of Support?

It is easy to give support to someone when we genuinely feel and think that they deserve it. We can provide them with a tap in the back and that’s it. However, for more formal instances, it needs to be written and printed out or send out a copy online. Writing letters of support can be tricky. It must maintain a professional tone while relaying positive emotions. Listed below is a short process and tips on how to write a letter of support effectively.

Step 1: Identify Your Relationship to the Applicant

For the first part of the letter, identify your relationship with the appellant. The most effective letters of support come from credible sources. For job applications, it is ideal to come from previous bosses and colleagues. It goes the same way for scholarship applications form. On the other hand, letters of support for those applying for immigration can include people who work closely with the appellant. You can ask your business partners or co-members of organizations to attest for you.

If you are tasked to write the letter, introduce your details straightforwardly. State your name, relationship with the person you are writing for, and the duration of your relationship. It is crucial to include the length of your relationship. It can help the recipient of the letter evaluate the condition of the appellant.

Step 2: Establish the Support Upfront

After establishing your relationship with the person in question, immediately declare your support for their cause. State it in a way where you state it with conviction, but do not be forceful with your claims. Follow up on the statement declaring your support with the reasons why. You can indicate their positive characteristics that were an asset during your association with each other. If you are a previous employer, you can cite instances on when the person displayed an excellent performance plan. As for letters that indicate support for non-profit organizations, you can back up your declaration of support on how their assistance helped better your life.

Step 3: Cite Potential Contributions

Aside from supporting the claim by presenting the positive attitude and behavior of the appellant, an effective letter of support must also contain the possible contributions of the individual to the community. State what they can bring in to improve the workplace or to further the goals of the organization. As for the case of appealing for research grants, you can also include the importance of the possible research findings on society. Again, be consistent with being direct to the point. Create a clear picture for the reader to effortlessly understand the message.

Step 4: Maintain a Professional Tone

Writing this document still follows the professional method of composing a letter. As it is still considered an important business document, it must also maintain a professional tone all throughout. A professional tone means that you are confident in relaying your message. Apart from that, avoid using emotional terms. Appeal to the readers by presenting facts. Make sure that the letter maintains this tone as you close your message by leaving high praises for the applicant and hoping for favorable results.

Upon knowing the role of support in both personal and professional growth, it is high time to express it in every way possible. From physical expressions to formal expression in writing, support can push an individual or organization for the better. Whether you are a former boss, co-worker, or key stakeholder, show your support for the best interests of an appellant or organization through these letters of support.