Seven Tips for Successful Funding Applications
Leonid Pasternak, The Passion of Creation (1892)
If you are new to fundraising or struggling to master the art of writing successful grant applications, here are seven tips to help you along the path to securing much-needed funding for your work.
1. Quality over quantity
A scattergun approach to sending funding applications – submitting generic proposals to hundreds of foundations – is rarely successful enough to justify the time invested and can antagonise potential funders. Spend this time wisely by identifying a smaller number of key prospects for whom the project is an excellent fit, based on their funding criteria, charitable interests, history of grant giving and level of donations.
2. Pay attention to the funders
Do not ignore funders’ advice and follow their guidance closely. Most major grant-giving organisations issue clear guidance on their websites and some employ staff who can help with advice and information. If you find that you are struggling to meet guidelines or are tempted to ignore advice, it is a sign that this funder is not a good match to your project. Pay particular attention to funding deadlines and try to avoid last-minute submissions.
3. Spend more time on project development than fundraising
A perfectly crafted proposal is worthless if the project it presents is not robust, convincing and achievable. Spend as much time as necessary on project development before beginning to make any approaches. Avoid the temptation to piece together a project in order to meet funding deadlines. Grant-givers will usually see straight through a project that has been created to capitalise on available pots of funding, rather than as an integral part of the organisation’s mission and business plan.
4. Watch your language
Every industry, sector or group has its internal jargon, which is often used without thinking by insiders but is impenetrable to everyone else. Take time to reread proposals with an eye for jargon or, better yet, ask someone external to read it. Do not use abbreviations unless you explain them in the first instance of use. Avoid adjectives unless you can really justify them; if you describe a project as pioneering then you should be able to explain exactly why it is pioneering.
5. Know your numbers
Make sure you have a good grip on the figures and that you can read a budget and balance sheet. Be prepared to justify project costs or to explain reserves policies. Always ensure that project budgets are as accurate as possible and include any related costs and overheads where appropriate. It is better to have a high but realistic budget than to underestimate or deliberately under-cost the project and then run out of funding!
6. Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate
It is important to consider monitoring and evaluation as a fundamental part of any project, and to include this in any funding application (as well as the budget). Monitoring and evaluation – throughout the project and not just at the end – demonstrates to the funder that you are serious about learning from your work to inform future activity and share best practice with peers.
7. Don’t hide problems
Once funding is received and the project is underway, be open and honest with the funder about progress. Report back regularly (and according to the funder’s requirements) and be prepared to share problems as well as successes. Funders can often help if the project hits a stumbling block, and it is better for them to know earlier rather than later if there are any serious problems. Always think about the longer-term relationship and don’t burn any bridges with potential future partners by keeping them in the dark.
Finally, a bonus tip: don’t forget to reflect in your applications the unique passion and personality that you or your organisation brings to the project. This is what will really set your application apart from all of the others under consideration.
Best of luck!
PS: I wrote this piece for The Art Fund a few years ago, but I think that these tips are just as relevant today.