So, You have a great idea for a project and you need some money to help make it happen but aren't sure where to start?

Applying for funding can be daunting, especially if you have not done it before, but help is at hand to guide you through the process whatever your aspirations

To get things started we have provided the following tips…

Develop a plan

Before you start your search for funding, you should think about and plan what you want you are looking to achieve over the long term. Any projects should then be designed in line with this plan. A clear development plan puts you in a strong position with funders by showing that you have fully thought through what you want to do and why.

With your plan in place the next stage is to have a clear idea of what you need funding for. Some items are more eligible than others so developing a shopping list will enable you to match up what can be funded and what you will need to spend your own funds on.  

Understand what’s out there

It is important to do research to find out what funding is available, who the funders are and what they are interested in supporting. The goal of your research is to find out those few funders whose interests are in line with yours and what you are wanting to do with the money. Sending the same requests to a wide group of funders who all want to fund different things is ineffective.

Funding streams are often changed or updated and some may be offered for the short-term only; it is important to check what funding bodies are offering at any particular time and plan accordingly. To help out with this we produce the OFA GrantFinder.

Make sure you are eligible

Before making an application to any funder you should always make sure you are eligible for their funding. Some funds are only open to groups of a certain size or type, or will only fund very specific things. The majority of funders will also not fund retrospectively so hold off starting any project you want to gain funding for.

Funders will always provide the opportunity to contact them if you are not sure and asking a question at the outset could save both parties considerable time.
 
Get help

There are no extra prizes for doing everything yourself and larger funding projects can become extremely time consuming and require specialist input. It is a very good idea to involve more than one person in planning your project and writing your funding application. Different members of your committee or volunteers will have different skills and experience that they can bring to the process. Ask them for support.

We are more than happy to provide support and guidance for your project from planning to delivery and everything in between. Simply contact us on the details below to start your funding journey.