One of the most frequently asked questions from E.B. Howard Consulting’s proposal preparation clients is “what makes a competitive letter of support”? This question is so frequent that the E.B. Howard Consulting team developed a template to help guide clients. This template has been available to contracted clients for years now. The success of this tool over the years is what inspired the team to include this template and corresponding tip sheet as one of the downloads in the Knowledge Vault.
Letters of Support, or LOS for short, are a required component of any Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) proposal. The purpose of the letters is to demonstrate market value and potential customers after the technology’s feasibility is proven and the product is commercialized. However, most grants outside of the SBIR program require a similar letter as well. This template is an ideal foundation for letters of support or recommendation for any grant opportunity, federal or private.
The tip sheet answers important questions such as how to format the LOS, the purpose of the letter, and who best to source letters from to ensure they demonstrate the market fit and future profitability of the proposed solution. While the most difficult aspect of collecting and submitting LOS is usually finding participants willing to take the time to write the letter in advance of the deadline, having a tip sheet of best practices and a template to get started can go a long way. This free downloadable is one of the many great tools available in E.B. Howard Consulting’s Knowledge Vault.
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