Grants: Funding Advice
If you are trying to create a new charity, community project or enterprise then one of the resources you may well need is money. Luckily there are a whole series of organisations out
there whose job it is to give out money to people !£!
Download Funding Advice as a document at bottom of page
What are Funders?
Partnership not Begging!
Say No to the General Mailout!
First Things First…
It’s Not Just About Money
Finding the Right Funder
Filling in Applications
Relationships with Funders
Funding Check List
What are Funders?
Organisations that give out money are often called grant making trusts or foundations. Some are set up to give out public money. Some
are private organisations set up by wealthy people who want to use their money to support
good causes. Here we are going to group them all
together and call them funders.
Partnership not Begging!
Getting money from funders is not begging. A funder is a partner. You have a job to do, and you
have the ideas and commitment and skills to do it, but you need resources. The funder has a
mission to achieve - often it is something like ‘reduce social exclusion in our community,’ but
they lack the ability to do the work themselves. They need to find the right projects to give
money to help them achieve their mission.
By giving you money, a funder meets their own goals. They need you!
If you run a
project which trains formerly homeless people to go into schools in Liverpool and educate kids about the
realities of homelessness, and you find a funder whose mission is to ‘reduce homelessness in Liverpool’. Then by taking money to do your work, you are helping the funder to
meet their mission. You are doing the funder a favour!
Say No to the General Mailout!
Nearly all funders have their own unique application procedure, which you need to follow to get money from them.
Every funder is different and looking for different things so do not waste time your time writing the same letter to
everyone. It is much more useful to spend time finding the right match with the right funder and making a specific
application to them.
First Things First…
First have a think about what you want to achieve. Develop a plan – be clear what you want to
achieve and how you want to achieve it. When you know exactly what you want to do, it is
time to go to funders to ask for money.
It’s Not Just About Money
Money is a means to end. Before you go to a funder to ask for money – have a think if there are
other ways of meeting the need. If you need money to pay for room hire, have you asked
around if someone can maybe lend a room for free? Showing that you have used
resourcefulness to get some of the items that you need also goes down well with funders.
Finding the Right Funder
There is no point wasting your own time making an application if you have no chance of getting
the money. So spend some time investigating to make sure that you find the right funder:
1. See the UK Wide Funders and Local Funders pages of this website to find a list of possible funders.
2. Ask at your local CVS – Council for Voluntary Service. Every local authority has one and it’s their job to help
small local charities. Again these are all listed on the Local Funders page or can be found via their national body NACVA.
3. Find organisations that are similar to yourself. Look at their websites or their annual reports to see who funded them, then
see if you can apply to the same funders.
4. There is software called Funder Finder and books that list grant makers such as ‘A Guide to the Major Trusts’ published by the Directory of Social Change. Most local libraries have access to these, find your local library clicking here.
A. First Check Eligibility - see if you are able to apply.
- Many funders will only fund registered charities – so only apply to them if you are one!
- Many funders are geographically based – so check that you are in the right place.
- Some will only fund certain types of work eg. only with young people.
- If there is any doubt whatsoever that you are eligible to apply – then get in touch with
the funder to double check. Most have the information available on their website, but
you can always give them a call.
B. Second Check the Funder's Priorities.
- Find a Fit.
Many funders try and focus their money into only certain types of charitable work, most call these their priorities. Some
support animal charities, some the environment etc. Most publish their
priorities on their website, only apply to ones that your work fits into.
- Jargon Busting. Many funders call the same thing by different names. If your project is run by people
with experience of homelessness then you will often fit the criteria around poverty.
Some call this social exclusion, or disadvantage or deprivation – if you have
any doubt what they mean get in touch.
- Self Help. If you are a group of homeless people doing things for yourself then you
may well hit priorities around self-help or user involvement. Others call this participation
or service user engagement.
Filling in Applications
Once you have found the right funder, then you have to make a formal application to them. Most
have their own application forms to fill in, others ask you to write your own.
Guidelines
These are the advice notes that funders offer to guide you in how to apply to them. These are
key. They tell you all you need to know about the funding process - what information you need,
how much money you can apply for etc. To stand any chance of getting the money, you must
stick closely to the advice given in the guidelines.
- Make the application the right length.
- Ask for the right amount of money.
- Be clear. Do not assume that the funder knows anything about you. You are explaining
your work to a stranger. The clearer you are, the easier it is to give you money.
- Show evidence that your work is needed. For example, if you are applying for money for
a newsletter in a hostel, did you do a survey of residents to see if would be read? If so
that’s great - include it in your application.
- If your application is hand written, make sure it is readable. It can only be marked if it
can be read!
- Provide all the information requested, but no more, too much information can confuse.
- Be on time. Applications that miss the deadline go in the special round filing cabinet
under the desk – the bin!
Budget
Most funders ask for a budget. This is a list of the expenses that you will run up by doing your
work. Think through every bit of the work - what do you need to make it happen? Some things to include might be:
Travel costs
Room hire
Office supplies
Telephone costs
Postage
Marketing materials
Wages
Volunteer expenses
Computers
- If you do not know how much certain items cost, then do some research. Look on the internet, get the yellow pages and phone some suppliers or go to the shops!. Make a best guest if necessary.
- Make sure the budget is realistic, accurate and achiveable.
- If you are asking the funder for less than the total amount you need, show how you
intend to get the rest of the money.
Relationships with Funders
Groundswell is encouraging you to view funders as partners in your project. This makes your
relationship with a funder, like any key partner, very important. To build a successful
relationship, you need to treat each other with respect. While you all know the basics, here’s a
quick reminder:
- Always be polite – in writing, on the phone and in person. Nobody likes doing business
with people that are rude.
- Think of the long term. Just because a funder says no once, doesn’t mean they will not
fund you in the future.
- Co-ordinate your approach. Make sure you know which of your group is responsible for
contacting each funder. You don’t want two people phoning up and hassling a funder with the same
questions.
- Keep your promises. If you get funding and promise to mention the funder on your
website and in your newsletter, then do it!
- Maintain the relationship. Send the funder reports, invite them to events, keep them
involved in the work.
- Always be honest. Your integrity is one of your main assets.
Funding Check List
1. Develop a clear plan of what you want to do.
2. Work out what resources you need to meet your goals.
3. Think about ways to get these resources without money.
4. Create a clear budget for the items you need.
5. Start the hunt for funders.
6. Check if you are eligible.
7. Check if you match the funder’s priorities.
8. Fill in application form, paying close attention to the guidelines.
9. Make sure your application form arrives within the deadline.
If you are not successful always ask for feedback – this is invaluable in improving your
applications. Most people don’t get it right first time.
If you get the money – congratulations! Now you can concentrate on actually getting the work
done!
Good luck with fundraising!
If you have any questions please contact us we’re here to help!
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