Grant & Partnership Recommendation Letter for Nonprofits

What a good one includes

• Clear identification of the writer's relationship to the nonprofit, establishing their authority to speak on the organization's behalf.
• Specific, data-backed examples of community impact and program success to move beyond generic praise.
• Explicit alignment between the nonprofit’s mission and the specific priorities of the grantmaker or potential partner.
• Attestation to the organization's financial integrity, operational stability, and strong leadership.
• A forward-looking statement detailing how the requested funding or partnership will amplify the nonprofit’s future community benefits.
• Direct contact information of the recommender to invite follow-up inquiries from reviewers.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using overly generic, boilerplate language that fails to highlight the unique strengths of the specific nonprofit.
• Focusing entirely on abstract emotional appeals while omitting hard data, metrics, and evidence of past program performance.
• Asking an author with low name-recognition or minimal connection to the project to sign the letter, which dilutes its perceived authority.
• Failing to customize the letter to the specific criteria and priorities outlined in the grant or partnership guidelines.

Frequently asked questions