Here are my top tips for applying for funding and looking at sustainability.
Funding all over is heavily subscribed so you want to make sure that your application stands out from the rest. Firstly, make sure you are eligible and you’re not trying to make your project fit into the funders criteria. Round hole, square peg syndrome.
Try bullet-pointing out your proposal to start with – it’ll identify where there are gaps in the information you have or where more detail is needed. Grant fundraising can be very time consuming; you shouldn’t develop a bid until you are sure it’s the right funding opportunity for you and you have all the information you need.
Look thoroughly through the guidance. Where there is little detail on the specifics required in each section, read between the lines. Funders will ask things in different ways and any bid writer needs to be able to address what is actually being asked (and avoid any temptation to cut and paste content from another funding bid without careful scrutiny) e.g. a question about how you are well placed to carry out the project invites you to showcase your track record such as the skills and experience of the team and impact to date, relative to the needs of your beneficiaries.
In simple terms, outputs are ‘what you will do’ and outcomes are ‘what this will achieve’. A project/organisation can easily fall flat on its face if it is delivering activities without any real sense of direction. Equally, someone reading your grant proposal will have concerns if they feel that your plans are vague and aimless
A great case for support uses a combination of passion, emotion and logic. Institutional grant givers typically seek to make objective grant decisions, however individuals typically make emotional decisions on charitable giving, so it’s important to cover both the emotional and logical case for support. Likewise, passion can help to evidence the ambition and drive of the charity, making it a more compelling candidate for a grant.
Get my free downloadable checklist before you apply for funding, it’s a fantastic guide to help you write a knockout bid.
I have a free webinar on bid writing for beginners, if this is something you might be interested in or would like the free bid writing checklist click the link below.
https://inspired-nation-25669194.hubspotpagebuilder.eu/write-a-winning-bid-free-download
