2.8 Applying for larger and smaller sums of money - it’s horses for courses

- Charities Aid Foundation (CAF): Directory of Grant Making trusts.

- Directory of International Funding Organisations (also available from the CAF).

- You may also find information, advice, and other guides in local organisations such as your council for voluntary service, volunteer bureau, or local authority.

 

The Arts Funding Context…

Local authorities are the second largest supporter of the arts in England after the Arts Council. `They play a central role in supporting the arts regionally, not only through direct funding of arts organisations and events, but also through the provision and management of arts venues, the promotion of arts events, and advice and support services delivered through their arts officers There are currently a number of Government initiatives focused on promoting active

Website: www.cypu.gov.uk

Neighbourhood Renewal Unit

Website: www.neighbourhood.gov.uk

Websites: www.culture.gov.uk  www.ukonline.gov.uk Provides access to Government information and services online, including links to all local authority and central Government websites in the UK.

- There is no substitute for persistence and hard work: it is a matter of picking up the phone

Step One: Assessing your own organisation’s capabilities and requirements

v Your goals: have a clear picture of exactly why you need funds and /or resources.

v Your capabilities: develop and communicate to others a clear picture of your own organisation, in particular, highlighting:

v Your organisation’s structure, goals and philosophy

v Geographical scope, what is your area, what is your area made up of, who is in your area.

v What you are good at (past achievements)

v Partners and/or parent organization

v Existing funding and commitments

v Where there are any weaknesses or gaps that need improving upon.

v Your core competencies: why not do an ‘internal audit’ to establish your ‘core’ skills.

v In doing this audit, make sure you canvass widely within your organisation to establish exactly what it is you do well, and less well. It is important you do not miss a genuine strength or an area that needs improving.

v Be realistic: There’s no point in applying for a large amount of money that you wouldn’t know how to spend properly, or applying for funding if you don’t have the staff time to manage the project to good effect.

v Be honest: Identify your precise objectives in applying for funding. Avoid the temptation to distort your organisation’s needs and requirements in order to squeeze into a particular funder’s funding criteria.

v How much funding do you require?

v And what specifically do you want: money or other resources?

v Link costs to tasks: you should carefully work out the expenditure needed to support each of your objectives. Consider all main categories of expenditure which are likely to be required to meet your objectives. The following is an example of headings you may wish to consider:

v Contributions towards the running costs of your operation: even if you are setting up a new project within your organisation, it will mean expenditure from existing central budgets such as premises, general office costs, and other administration.

v Staff costs - if you will use the funding to employ new staff, allow money for recruitment. Don’t forget to take into account salary increments, training and other expenses. - Other personnel resources you might ask for - e.g. staff secondments to provide specific expertise. - One-off expenses for capital equipment. - Other clearly defined non-recurrent expenses.

v Time and commitment: following your internal organisational audit suggested above you should now ensure that you have the time and commitment from your organization to actually put in your bid.

v A quality bid: the quality of your actual bid will be taken by funders as a reflection of the quality you will bring in managing the final project.

v Funders do not want to see their money wasted: inefficiently managed projects - however worthwhile they may be - are of no interest.

1.6 Developing an organizational fund-raising strategy

v A co-ordinated view: if you are going ahead, remember you must develop a strategy to which your whole organisation is committed.

v Think strategically: try to develop a fundraising strategy - a long-term plan of how you are going to raise funds.

v If at first you don’t succeed... plan to succeed, but if not, have a ‘Plan B’. So, if you are not successful the first time, don’t abandon the idea. Once you have made a few applications you will start to develop the skills and techniques required to win funding bids.

v Stay in touch: establish a regular contact within a funding organisation - stay in contact by phone, email or fax. As the dialogue develops you will develop a greater understanding of the funder’s requirements. This means (eventually) you should have a successful bid.

v Check the small print: check and double check that you have not missed any specifics that would rule you/your organisation out of the bid.

 

 

 

v Eliminate organisations: eliminate from more detailed consideration any organizations whose funds you would probably have a poor chance of winning.

v Draw up a shortlist: draw up a shortlist of between 6 and 10 funders which you wish to examine in detail, prior to submitting your bid.

v Think ‘fit’: you should check the degree if ‘fit’ between possible funders and your organisation and hone down your initial shortlist of potential funders.

v Fit - general and specific: the degree of fit should be established both in terms of the general field in which you work and the precise objectives or projects you are looking to fund.

v Topic: specific fields of interest of the funding`body - e.g. there is no point in applying for funds for the renovation of an historic building to a body whose concern is with the promotion of new architecture.

v Geography: note any regional focus in the funder’s interests - some funding bodies will be set up to serve, or have a preference for, funding projects in a specific area.

v Scale: check the overall amount of funding provided and the typical/maximum size of individual grants.

v Know the rules: make sure you get hold of a copy of the funding body’s selection criteria. Establish the purposes for which they give funding and any restrictions on funding. Some funding organisations lay particular stress on age, ethnicity, religion, special needs, and so on.

v Nature of funding: remember that some types of funder will tend to fund assets, others will be more willing to contribute to running costs, while others will favour funding people.

v ‘Its good to talk’: communication with potential funding bodies is vital if you are to understand fully their assessment criteria. Organisation not only have formal criteria, they also have distinctive styles and vocabularies. Try to make sure, wherever possible, that you meet with appropriate individuals from the funding organisation.

 

 

v Clarity: be specific and clear about the extent to which the money being applied for has relevance to the funding organisation’s work.

v Does your idea show vision?

v Think wood not trees: demonstrate a clear strategic focus, with innovative thinking, highlighting your ability to ‘put your head above the parapet’.

v What benefits will your project deliver to your local area/community?

v Prepare a checklist: list the different groups of people who, in the course of the project, will benefit from what you are doing.

v maybe draw a map or diagram explaining how your project will help build links with different voluntary groups and organizations within the community.

v Will people benefit?

v Clearly map out precisely the key beneficiaries of the project, and how they will be involved in the project.

v Detail how the various people who will be involved in helping you with the project - including your own staff and partners – will benefit from the project.

v Also show how your organisations will make use of volunteers and partners and how they will benefit from the project.

v Do you have the credibility to receive funding? Track record: work hard to demonstrate the credibility and standing of your organisation - show examples of past achievements.

v Solid financial platform: demonstrate that the organisation is financially sound and has proper accounts.

v Match funding: if possible, show how the`funding you are requesting will be matched or supported by funding from other bodies/organisations. (Funders feel encouraged by the fact that you are able to find funds from elsewhere).

v Will you be able to manage the project? Draw a project management chart: clearly show who is looking after what task against what timetable, and so on.

v Cost effectiveness: demonstrate exactly how your activity will represent value for money.

v Properly staffed: show that you have thought through what you are going to do in terms of the person ‘power’ that you will require.

v People management: map out which people are involved in the project and in what way. You then need to demonstrate that you have good people management procedures.

v Allocate tasks to people: you need to clarify which people will be looking after what task, and demonstrate that each individual has the training and expertise to carry out this task.

v Milestones: you will need to map out the fact that people involved in the project have been given definite milestones against which they should be achieving particular tasks.

v Monitoring: show how you plan to evaluate whether or not you have been successful in achieving the goals of your project.

v Can the initiative be sustained?

v Sustainable benefit: show how your project - once the funding has ended - can be kept going.

v Being a role model: show how your project could become a model of good practice to be used by others in other bids.

v Are you following an equal opportunities policy? Race, gender and age: demonstrate that there is appropriate commitment to equal opportunities, and confirm that there is no evidence of ageism or racial inequality. www.artslineonline.com provides information on accessibility to arts venues for disabled people.

v Wider world resourcing issues: Show you are environmentally friendly: explain in detail exactly how your project is compatible with other wider goals in terms of the use of the world’s resources.

 

v Do your homework: for each potential funder, find out whether there has been any prior involvement with your own or similar local organisations in the past.

 

v Use the right language: make sure you adapt your approach appropriately for charitable trusts, government or business. There is no point in writing the same letter to everyone; you must tailor your letter to funders, making use of the language and key words that are likely to trigger a positive response.

v Show understanding: when applying to commercial organisations, make sure you understand the company’s core business. Look at all their literature, and make sure that when you apply to them you speak to them in their own language.

v Strike a chord: it is important to strike a chord with what the funding organisation is seeking to get out of funding you. So draw this aspect out in your application.

v Be selective: companies dislike barrages whereby numerous managers within the same organisation at the same time receive requests for money. This seems devious to companies.

v Be honest: companies like honest straightforward requests for help.

v National or local: make sure you get it right in terms of whether you should be applying to the central head office of the company, or to a local branch.

v Become a partner: many companies like to work in partnership. They will want it to be clear that you will be putting in most of the effort and that you are not solely relying on their input, but if it is appropriate, offer them a partnership. Some would rather take this up than just hand over a cheque and a year later get a brief note saying what happened at the end of the project. If they takeup the offer, make sure you build in the facility for monthly progress meetings and reports, visits to projects, skill sharing, and so on.

v Minimum bureaucracy: a company does not like to see too many highly paid officials in the applicant’s organisation. To them, this suggests unnecessary administration costs and inefficiency. If your organisation has a lot of staff, make sure to explain why they are needed.

v Don’t hide your light under a bushel: companies like information about applicants. Don’t assume a company knows who you are explain to them what you do, who you know, others who support you, and so on. If appropriate, provide them with references from other funders.

v Good planning: companies don’t like bad planning. As business people, senior company managers are sensitive to poor organisation and sloppy planning: as donors, they don’t want to see their company’s money frittered away.

v Be logical: companies like a well reasoned case.

v Show some insight: companies do not like ignorance of their organisation.

v Show how you would help with their publicity: companies love receiving publicity that enhances their reputation.

v Don’t become a ‘drain’: companies dread clinging vines - organisations that become increasingly dependent on them and have to be supported ‘indefinitely’.

v Say thanks: companies, like anyone else, like recognition. They want to feel they are appreciated, so make sure you say ‘thank you’.

v Be gracious: a company doesn’t like a bad loser. If the answer is ‘no’, take it with good grace. But do seek feedback.

v Be timely: make sure you are aware of all the deadline and timescales for funding applications to a practical organisation.

v Tell ‘em what’s in it for them: headline - in a snappy, impactful way - what benefits will accrue for the business by being with you.

 

v Highlight your charitable status: most trusts prefer to make donations to voluntary organisations that are registered charities. This reassures them not only that the money will be used according to charitable law, but also that they are able to claim tax back. But if you are not a registered charity, remember: all is not lost. You can become affiliated to a charity, or your local council for voluntary services maybe able to help you.

v Allow plenty of time: it can sometimes take six months to raise money from trusts. Some of the trust bodies that make decisions about who gets money meet once a month, but others may only meet once a year.

v Don’t send a standard circular: charitable trusts are particularly irritated by receiving glossy literature that does not tailor the bid to exactly what they are able to provide under the terms of their ‘trust deed’ - that is, their policy guidelines.

v Call them: don’t be afraid to contact people within charitable trusts to make sure you fully understand the criteria that will be used to select winning fund applicants.

v Don’t always expect an acknowledgement: trusts often prefer to conserve funds by not acknowledging each application. So if you do want an acknowledgement that your application has been safely received, make sure you enclose a stamped addressed envelope or postcard.

v Deadlines: these are particularly important for trusts: remember they meet infrequently.

v Say thanks and keep in touch: if you do receive some funding, make sure you let the trust know the outcome of your project, and thank them for the funds.

v Meeting the selection criteria is essential: meeting the funding criteria is important in all cases, but it is particularly true of Government bodies. Here, you are dealing with people who are handing out public money, and quite rightly, those doing this must demonstrate the highest levels of public accountability. So your application will be closely judged against the exact criteria that have been laid down.

v Civil servants are becoming more accessible: don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and talk to an individual at the Government body. Gone are the days where you could not talk to key civil servants. So get on the phone and run over any questions and queries you have or any misunderstandings you may have over the criteria and ask for more information.

v Rules are rules: Government bodies, perhaps more so than others - in fairness - have to stick to the rules. They have limited room for manoeuvre to extend a deadline by a day or introduce too much flexibility into the process. So make sure you do exactly what it is you have been asked to do in the time.

v Mobilise your critical contacts: it is helpful to make sure you have had a dialogue with local councillors, MPs or MEPs about your venture. Being able to show that others are on your side and support your cause could be influential in winning your bid.

 

 

v Don’t be too ambitious: keep the scale of your project manageable. Being tempted to add on extra ‘bells and whistles’ can destroy the essential character of your project, and deflect you from the main issues you wish to pursue.

v Prioritise: make sure you have ranked all the issues that you wish to explore in the appropriate priority order.

v Ruthless pruning: as your project develops, individuals may be tempted to pursue issues of marginal, possibly even personal, interest. So at appropriate points in putting together your bid, ruthlessly edit out all unnecessary deviations and complications.

UK Statistics provide a useful range of facts and figures about your community. This is an excellent resource when planning a community project or putting in a funding application. Visit: www.statistics.gov.uk Also the North West Arts Council Fact Sheet IN19: ‘A Social & Economic Profile of the North West’ provides facts and figures. Email info@nwarts.co.uk

v Clarity is everything: take care to provide a clear rationale for every argument you are advancing.

v Delivering your expected outcomes: you should have a structure for your bid that demonstrates exactly how you intend delivering your expected outcomes from the project. (Here, charts and diagrams - linking, for example, with arrows how expenditure on different resources will produce different benefits - may be helpful).

v People reading documents get annoyed about sloppiness.

 

 

v Clarify any assumptions you are making: can they be backed up, or are they just based on anecdote?

v Ambiguities: do not use any phrases or terms that could be interpreted in different ways. The funder will take the view that if you cannot think through issues in your bid for funds then you will not be able to think through, and manage, the project if you were awarded funds.

 

v Constitution: make sure you provide copies of your organisation’s constitution or other documentation explaining how your organisation is legally structured.

v Bank accounts: decide what bank accounts you should open to run the proposed venture.

v Budgeting: make sure you go through a procedure of setting budgets and are able to control expenditure against the various budget categories.

v Quotations: make sure you have a proper procedure in place for obtaining quotations for suppliers working on the project and a definite procedure for awarding contracts.

v Management structure: make sure you can produce regular management accounts and have someone, or preferably a finance or management committee, who will receive them.

v Cashflow forecasts: ensure you have a way of looking at when money is coming into the project, in relation to when funds are going out.

v Audited accounts: make sure that the annual accounts are audited in an appropriate way for your organisation.

v Other documents; you may also need to provide documents such as job descriptions and an equal opportunities policy.

v Making up any funding shortfall: if you are only asking for partial funding, you will need to build into your financial reporting reassurance to the funder about how the remainder of the project is being funded.

 

v Having a meaningful project and good people to run it means nothing if you are not able to operate to the declared timetables.

v So provide a detailed timetable with your bid mapping out the logistics of the operation.

v Be a good anticipator: remember - one of the key project management skills funders will be looking for is the ability to anticipate upcoming problems and have taken appropriate preventative action.

 

v Milestones: it is important that you demonstrate to the sponsor that you are closely monitoring and evaluating the progress of your project. It is therefore important to establish a number of key milestones, and to provide reassuring feedback to your sponsor that you are achieving the targets you have set yourself at each of these milestones.

v Summary: by now you will have:

v prepared a document that explains who you are and what you do

v demonstrate you meet the funder’s criteria

v So you need to make sure that your written document and any verbal presentations will do justice to all the work you have put in so far.

 

v Remember: hundreds of others are bidding for the same ‘pot’. Your bid must stand out from the rest. So...

v Demonstrate the project’s distinctive benefits

v Pinpoint what is unique or innovative about your project.

v Provide some guarantees

v Demonstrate some quick wins i.e. concrete, clearly defined benefits that are likely to flow quickly from the funding?

v Build rapport and show empathy

v Early on in your communication, demonstrate that you have some rapport with the funding organisation: play back the funder’s own key words and language in your own bid.

v Give concrete evidence of your organisation’s commitment

v Show that you have already raised some money of your own and are a successful organisation.

v Find ways in which you can use the funder’s money to leverage other funding.

v Be snappy

v Avoid jargon: make sure that you do not slip into jargon that is only understood in your world (i.e. put yourself in your reader’s shoes).

v Preface document: if the application procedure allows for it, preface the bid document with a punchy executive summary.

v Title: remember that first impressions are important. The impact the title of your document makes is critical. So it is not, "Towards forecasting the number of cars and light vans on UK roads (excluding the Greater London area) by the turn of the Century", but, "How many more cars?"

v Content page: this is a key page. Everyone is busy these days, and a lot of people will use the contents page to guide their way through your document.

v Develop a logical structure: there are different ways of laying out a bid document. One possible approach is as follows:

- Summary of the key applications, actions and decisions to be taken on completion of the project (the key outcomes).

- Timetable and costs (How much money do we want, over how long, and how will it be spent).

- Appendices.

v Several drafts: be prepared to do several drafts of the document, and always get a second opinion on what you have written.

v Use subheadings extensively: never write more than 300 words without putting in some kind of heading (consider numbering the paragraphs but don’t overdo it).

v Put yourself in your reader’s shoes: know in advance what the reader is looking for.

v Be succinct: cut out all long words and be ruthless in editing your own work. You should be able to cut your first draft by 30%.

v Keep it simple: when in doubt, leave it out.

v Getting the grammar right: the general rule is to write in an impersonal and/or passive style (e.g. not "I think" but "It can be argued that").

v Make it visually attractive: try to use diagrams, pie charts and illustrations or tabular data to get over your message.

v Pay attention to detail: remember, just one mistake lowers the reader’s confidence in the entire document.

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v Be there

v Make sure you have got the venue, date and time right, and that you are on time.

v Homework Know your audience.

v Make sure you check that all the equipment you need is available in the presentation room.

v Put your best foot forward

v Dress for the part.

v Try to do a dry run/dress rehearsal.

v Structure

v Choose carefully the most appropriate visual aids - if it is a big important presentation then 35mm slides may be appropriate; but for other presentations, an OHP will suffice, and for others a flipchart will be all you need.

v Know your lines: maybe have a crib sheet, but do not read from a script.

v Always use a presentation style with which you feel comfortable. For example, if you feel at ease using humour, and adopting a light-hearted approach, try this. But if you feel uncomfortable about this then do not even attempt it.

v Leave something behind

v Hand out copies of your presentation charts.

- Presentation is really ‘theatre’, so everything has to be a little ‘bigger, sharper, impactful and crisper’.

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Step Five: You’ve been successful - what next?

v Be clear about who you are - what you do well, what you do badly what you don’t do at all.

v Be clear about what you want.

v Try to find a funder appropriate to what you are and what you want (don’t be afraid to use your own network of contacts, someone you know may have a contact in the company).

v Then, find out the detailed donation criteria of the most appropriate funder and show how your bid meets these criteria.

v Allow plenty of time to plan your bid.

v If it’s money you’re after - say so, but consider other resource requirements - e.g. people, training, materials, premises, etc.

v See your bid as a start of a friendship/relationship - be a partner.

v Be succinct and clear - don’t use jargon.

v Make your bid distinctive and attractive – it must stand out from the others who will be applying for the same ‘pot’.

v Don’t give up! (there may be more opportunities around the corner).

 

 

2.1 Directories and databases

Contains details of organisations and funding opportunities.

Aims to link sponsors with organisations seeking funding in various fields, including the arts. Individuals seeking sponsorship can place their details on the website’s message board and Ukbased arts organisations can place a listing on the website. This service is free, although you can choose to pay for a more detailed listing.