Get Ready to Fundraise
“Plan your application in detail. Poor planning is a common cause of unsuccessful applications.”
– BBC Children in Need
You know that a lot of planning goes into fundraising – here is a list of information to build up & keep updated.
- Save time : Keep an information file/box that all the committee can access, preferable on a computer. If the information is elsewhere on the computer, create a shortcut
Your rules
- Signed & dated eg a constitution ( called your governing document)
Money
- Latest accounts Income and spend
- Budget – what you want funding for and how you estimated the costs
- Latest bank statements
Your work
- Latest report about your activity eg annual report
- A summary of feedback from the community showing the need and demand for your activity eg feedback forms, compliments, survey results .
- Numbers & stories to show how you work with the community
- Business plan / work plan / action plan for your project if you have one
- Policies : Equal Opportunities, safeguarding, GDPR (protecting personal data) health & safety, environmental, volunteering, compliments & complaints.
People
- List of committee members names, addresses, their skills (eg finance, admin, chairing)
- List of members /people who use your activities – don’t forget to keep peoples personal information safe.
2. Know your rules – Make sure you and other committee members understand your set of rules / governing document especially the aims / objectives of the group. Grants you apply for must fit within your rules.
3. Clarity: Be very clear about the problem/ issue before you search for funding for – also saves time when you search for grants.
4, Double check what the funder will and will not fund – many grants are refused because they do not meet the funders priorities (criteria)
5. Do your research: talk to the community, get feedback so you know the activity you are applying for is needed, or that people will make use of it (demand)?
6. Duplication : Make sure you are not duplicating other work – also an opportunity to work with other groups.
7. Budgeting: research the costs of the project/ activity & keep evidence of how you calculated the costs e.g. estimates, price lists.
8. Remember – funders will not pay for activities or costs incurred before the grant is agreed & paid into your account ( called retrospective costs).