Below are the main reasons why applications fail and some suggestions to help your application avoid the bin!

• Eligibility
  • Is your organisation eligible? Check things like:
  • Status
    • Non-charity – many funders only fund charities
    • The may excluded specific group such as Umbrella bodies or only fund National / Local groups
  • Powers and activities
    • Check your constitution that you can apply
  • Previous applications; when did you last apply to them, many funders have a time limit in which you cannot reapply
• Criteria
  • Ensure you meet their criteria
  • Explain clearly how you meet their criteria
  • Check they have not changed; many trusts change their criteria so check they have not changed especially if you have applied before
  • Check exclusions! These can included very specific activities, so double check, this can also include certain type of expenditure (capital / revenue)

 

• Clarity
  • Avoid jargon and technical language
  • Be clear and transparent about what you want to do and how you will spend the money
  • You know what you do, but they don’t

 

• Demonstrate Need
  • Bids should benefit people not organisations
  • Use statistics and hard facts such as Census data, WIMD, Powys i
  • Community involvement in planning; you need to demonstrate that the project is wanted by those it is aimed at, and not that it is what you think they will want
    • Surveys, and examples of beneficiary involvement

 

• Planning
  • Ensure project is thought through
  • Who will manage staff/volunteers/budget
    • Are policies for staff in place, CRB checks

 

 

 

 

• Form Filling
  • Not all applications will require an application form but where they do make sure that you use them!
  • Answer all the questions (Unless they are optional), read the guidelines for pointers on what information they want your answer to contain
  • Use of ‘see attached’ – some forms allow this others don’t. Be careful how much information you include, ensure you keep answers concise and to the point.
  • Send all the information requested

 

• Timing
  • Retrospective funding – hardly any funders will fund this, and never pretend you have not incurred the cost yet
  • Expect to wait at least 3 months to get a response, some boards only meet twice a year
  • Don’t miss the deadline and try to get the application in early
  • Allow time to spend the money, as most funders will want the money spent in a set period of time, this can be as little as three months.

 

• Costs
  • Ensure figures are realistic and that you can justify the costs
  • Are you value for money; but don’t cut corners in budgets
  • Make sure you have the capacity to deliver the project
  • Are you providing any match funding or volunteer time

 

• Outputs
  • What will change as a result of the funding, how will people benefit, what difference will it make the someone’s life
  • How will you measure the change
  • Monitoring, evaluation and reporting (who will you tell about the work)

 

• Sustainability
  • How will the project continue when the funding ends
  • How will any capital goods be maintained

 

A few final pointers:

• Check the Charity Commission website to find out about the Trust you are applying to, have a look at their accounts to see who they fund and the size of past grants
• Ask someone from outside the organisation to read the application through to ensure it makes sense to someone not involved with your work
• Consider what makes your application more worthy than the next one
• Be passionate and persuasive in your application