Developed in collaboration with Dr. Dan Pomeroy, manager of MIT’s International Policy Lab.
Criteria for success
- Make a clear ask based on your position.
- Make letter readable by target audience (legislators, staffers, etc).
- Make a clear argument (economic, health, social, etc.) on your bill or issue of interest and support it with your research or expertise.
Structure diagram
![](https://mitcommlab.mit.edu/be/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/12/letterofsupport-struct.png)
Purpose
As an expert in your field, you can provide outside validation for or against a proposed policy. Use your research and expertise to provide weight to an argument. Your letter should use your technical knowledge to make a clear recommendation based on reasons that the member of Congress will care about.
Skills
Establish your credentials
- Give relevant title and background to establish your expertise.
Make a clear argument
- Make a case to that office: use arguments that will appeal to the policy maker and their constituents.
- Use anecdotes and analogies over facts and figures when possible.
- Limit use of jargon or technical details except when they’re critical to your argument.
Hammer home your ask
- In your first paragraph, make your ask in support or opposition to a specific action: “We urge your support for H.R. ##, which will help to…”, “We write in strong support of..”, “We oppose cuts to…”
- Be specific. If you are writing in reference to a specific bill, include the bill number.
- Repeat your ask. In your conclusion, summarize your argument and repeat your specific call for action.
Use proper style
- Avoid informal language.
- Keep it brief. Keep letters to one page and try to discuss only one bill or issue in a given letter. Make use of bullet points to outline several arguments.
Additional examples
(see also Annotated Example below)
- AAAS Letter on FY 2017 appropriations
- American Society for Microbiology (ASM) on FY 2018 for the National Science Foundation (NSF) appropriations
- American Society for Microbiology (ASM) on FY 2018 for the Food and Drug Administrations FY 2018 Appropriations
- Financial Scholars Oppose Eliminating “Orderly Liquidation Authority” As Crisis-Avoidance Restructuring Backstop
- Business School Professors in support of FAMILY Act
- Edison Electric Institute on Cyber Security Act