Letters for fellowships and grants?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, Amanda asks:

If you have a TT job and are thinking of applying to fellowships and such (things where you get extra money to do research but are not looking to move jobs), is it typical to have letters of recommendation from your colleagues? In general, do LORs change, as far as who writes them, once you are in a TT position?

Seems to me like the optimal thing to do here is clear: try to get letters from influential, recognized names in the profession. But, in lieu of that, sure, getting letters from current colleagues seems fine (though I wonder how seriously they will be taken by fellowship or grant committees given that they are colleagues with a vested interest in your success). That being said, I am just speculating here, as I have no real experience applying for fellowships or grants. So I'm probably not the best person to ask.

What about those of you who have experience in these areas? Any helpful tips for Amanda and others in her position?

Comments

[Amanda]

I have letters from some influential, well-known names. But I could, I suppose, have ones from even bigger names or even more influential. Yet it seems you can only get these letters if you happen to know these people somehow. And know more than just meet once at a conference. I am right about this, correct? This goes back to one of the ways that PhD prestige helps: if you happen to be taught by really big names as a grad student, you will always have their letters. And they might even introduce you to some of their big name friends.