Applying for Funding

Fundraising looks different for every organisation dependent on its vision, mission, strategic objectives and ultimately the skill set and capacity of its team.

Competition for funding can often be intense. We have pulled together several key considerations to keep in mind to boost your organisations chances of success.

• Be clear about your organisations mission and goals. Research potential funders to find those whose priorities align with yours.
• Read the funders guidelines, attend their funding workshops if offered, look at previous grant recipients, the average award and when the monies need to be spent by.  Contact the funder pre application if you are unsure of anything. It helps to start building a relationship prior to application.
• Start on your application early. Don’t leave it to the last minute!
• Evidence the need of the proposed project. References could include health board statistics, community action plans, member surveys, anecdotes, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), Fairer Scotland Action Plan or the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan.
• Clearly explain why the project is needed and how the funding will be used. Keep it simple. Use plain English and don’t feel you must use all the word count or fill the box if you don’t need too.
• Highlight any collaborations or partnerships that strengthen your bid.
• Describe the monitoring and evaluation processes that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the funded activities. Define the outcomes and impact of your project.
• Make sure your organisations accounts are up to date and provide a detailed and realistic financial budget in the application.
• Demonstrate the organisations sustainability beyond the period of funding.
• Have someone review your application before submission. Fresh eyes can catch errors or suggest improvements. If there is no one within your organisation to do the review consider contacting your local Third Sector Support Officer.