Trusts and foundations can be an excellent source of income for smaller organisations, but the process of applying for funding can be both time consuming and intimidating. There are high quality training courses and useful reosurces available from many local and national organistaions such as the Directory of Social Change,…
Talking to lots of different charities, I am often asked what one thing will help to raise the money they really need. Sadly, if there was one simple answer to that question, I would have written the book and retired on the proceeds by now! Of course, the reality is complex,…
I was recently asked to review a funding application, which reminded me of some of the complexities surrounding writing a successful bid, particularly in understanding what the donor really, really wants. So, with apologies to the Spice Girls, here are a few hints that may help you towards finding that perfect match…
Would your organisation like some more money for the work you do? I suspect the answer is ‘of course we would’; but how do we ask for it? Too often we are just not very sure how to tell others about the great work we do or even asking them…
I have just finished a phone call with a potential donor. No deal was done and no funding promised. In fact, we agreed that the best option would be to talk again in a few months, at which point we may get as far as me submitting an outline application. …
One of the real privileges of what I do is getting to hear some fantastic stories from the charities and churches with whom I work. Some really are amazing, but too often they don’t get heard. Maybe some of us have concerns around confidentiality; maybe many of us just feel too…
Many of the requests for consultancy I receive are from people who need money to deliver a project or idea. However, many of the funders I talk to are inundated by requests from worthy causes and struggle to decide who to support. Most trusts and foundations can only offer grants to a small proportion of the…
Those of us who have worked with charities for any length of time will know both the excitement of receiving the grant cheque envelope and the the fear of it either n0t arriving or not containing what you had hoped for. Many smaller organisations can feel like they are existing…
Recent national surveys have painted a fairly bleak picture. Public trust in charities and specifically in fundraisers is falling and this probably does not really surprise us. We have probably all heard. or even offered, criticism of charities and there is a widespread perception that money is wasted or poorly…
I am working with two community-based groups at the moment, both of whom need, for the first time in their history, to raise significant sums of money. This can be intimidating and nerve wracking, but it can also be fun! In both cases, their funding need is not urgent, which does…
