The letter must explain who is gifting the money, where the donor's funds are coming from and the relationship between the donor and the recipient. A short letter like this sample gift letter will cover all of the requirements your lender needs.A gift letter for a mortgage shows your lender that you don't need to repay gift money toward your down payment. Use these stepbystep instructions for accepting a cash downpayment gift on a home, including a readytouse mortgage gift letter template. A gift letter is a note from a donor to your lender regarding cash funds for your mortgage down payment. A gift letter should include the name and contact information of the donor and a statement that no repayment is expected.