FUNDING TRAINING PROGRAMME COURSE FOUR: IMPROVING APPLICATIONS

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FUNDING TRAINING PROGRAMMECOURSE
FOURIMPROVING APPLICATIONS
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TODAYS TRAINERS Melody Clarke Helen Sikora
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INTRODUCTIONS

• Name
• Organisation
• Any thing specific you want from the session?

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COURSE OUTCOMES

• Be able to create clear, concise applications
• Understand difference features benefits
• Be able to weed repetition unnecessary
  elements
• Further understand need how to demonstrate it
• Appreciate funders various assessment processes
• Critically assess your application/s

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COURSE CONTENT
Planning Need the bigger picture Influencing
skills Features and benefits Funders
assessments Writing for your audience Effective
applications Jargon
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Im rather like a mosquito in a nudist camp
I know what I ought to do, but I dont know
where to begin Stephen Bayne
Begin with the end in mind - Do a plan Put
first things first - Prioritise Stephen Covey
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TASK 1 - Planning for clear concise applications

• Individually, complete the template
• List everything you need to do to develop your
  scheme
• Then, put deadline date next to each
• How long will they take? (hours,days)
• Define start date (from points 2 3 above)
• Now importance A, B or C
• Now order 1, 2 or 3 (urgency)
• Indicate who responsible resources needed

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NEED / DEMAND - CONTEXT

• The bigger picture
• Local Area Agreements
• Parish Plans
• Government initiatives/strategies
• Statistics census
• Competition/partners in the area
• Questionnaire, feedback, surveys

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NEED/DEMAND
National
NEED
Region
County / Sub-region
City / District
Ward
Super output area
DEMAND
Neighbourhood
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TASK 2

• In pairs
• Examine either your project or an example
• Concentrate on its need/demand
• Identify the bigger picture
• 1. stakeholders
• 2. other local organisations, providers
• 3. strategies, papers, research from others
• Identify specifically how you can identify need
  and then demand - wheres the proof?

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Why are we all here? Whats the bottom line?
influence. convince.. persuade. argue reason
for
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Mrs Applicant
How to influence
ENGAGING
CHANNELLING
Mr Funder
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INFLUENCING 2 components

• Engaging
• Involves discovering what the funder is
  thinking, their expectations
• Attention focused on needs of funding
  organisation
• on preserving / improving relationship with
  them
• Concerned with how you can work together/
  process of interaction
• Goal to work effectively together
• Action read all information, meet, ask
  questions
• Key Skills listen, clarify - everything they
  say, publish, write

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INFLUENCING 1. ENGAGING
Listen
Read
Clarify
Question
Mr Funder
Mrs Applicant
Top Engaging Tips! Contact funder Look at
previous projects funded Contact a previous
successful applicant Go to presentations/seminar
s
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INFLUENCING 2 components
2. Channelling Involves letting funders know
benefits of working with you or funding your
project Attention focused on your organisation
and services upon reasons why you think they
are important upon your scheme
values Concerned with why you should work
together persuading funder they should
provide Goal to gain support Action crea
te quality case present clear features and
benefits 2 key skills Asserting and Reasoning
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INFLUENCING 2. CHANNELLING
Based on info from your engagement, create
appropriate case
Identify need/demand
Present case
Features Benefits
Assert Reason
Mr Funder
Mrs Applicant
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FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• FEATURES
• 16 skills training courses pa
• Recycle 60 bikes
• Provide respite care
• New Community hall
• ..

• BENEFITS
• Improved job prospects
• Reduced CO2 emitted
• Improved carers health
• ..

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Take a break!
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TASK 3 - Features and Benefits

• In small groups
• 1. Review the adverts
• 2. Identify features and benefits
• 3. Share with everyone

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ASSERTION

• Stating your abilities
• Describing features of your project/ service
• Expressing those features as benefits
• Emphasising quality standards
• Feature Our service provides training to
  people aged over 18 who are not in
  education, employment or training
• Benefit This will significantly reduce the
  number of long-term unemployed in this
  region
• How to By providing adults with an
  opportunity to access training in
  horticultural skills
• Written in simple straightforward language
  that does not over complicate

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TASK 4 - Assertion

• In pairs
• Define a list of features of your project
• Then convert them into Benefits
• And support each with How to statement

Outputs
Actions / Activities
Outcomes
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REASONING
Assertions without reasons are often seen as
overblown statements of aspiration

• a) Acknowledging
• show you have understood funder
• recognise value of their principles/ideas
• label intention to make a proposal
•  
• b) Initiating
• say how to move forward, provide ideas
• give factual reasons data
• list benefits of bid
•  
• Factual evidence (reasons)
• to support your bid is essential for influence

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Need/demand
Clarify
Features
Question
Benefits
How tos
Meet
How to influence
ENGAGING
CHANNELLING
Re-read
Assert
Listen
Reason
Evidence
Read
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There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit
down at a typewriter and open a vein. Red Smith
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ASSESSMENT - WHO EVALUATES?

• 1. The Gatekeeper
• Compliance ? Eligibility?
• Financial security ? Standards ?
• 2. Technicians
• Technical experts looking at feasibility ?
• 3. Champions
• Knowledgeable workers who understand
  operations ?
• 4. Third parties / Man from the Ministry
• Particularly Quangos, Govt, Tenders ?
• 5. Upstairs/ The committee
• The men/women from Del Monte ????

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TASK 5 - Individually/pairs

• Related to your project
• How do you think you might write for each of
  these?
• Gatekeepers
• Technicians
• Champions
• Third parties /man from the Ministry
• The Committee/Trustees/Upstairs
• Jot down sentences, phrases, notes, key areas,
  things you have to do/include..

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ASSESSMENT - HOW TO WRITE

• 1. The Gatekeeper
• Demonstrate - security eligibility relevant
  standards ?
• 2. Technicians
• Knowledge of area approp. jargon process
  proj man risk ?
• 3. Champions
• Heart soul commitment operational experience
  ?
• 4. Third parties / Man from the Ministry
• Strategic issues policies wider context
  partnerships ?
• 5. Upstairs/ The committee
• Outcomes presentation - bullets ????

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Take a break!
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Clear writers assume, with pessimism born of
experience, that whatever isnt plainly stated
the reader will invariably misconstrue John R
Trimble
EFFECTIVE APPLICATIONS a. Covering
letter b. Content c. Scope / attitude d.
Quality security e. Concise f. Weeding g.
Critical assessment h. Quality
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a. COVERING LETTER
If a covering letter, it should include

• a short summary of who you are
• what the project is
• how it fits funders priorities
• how much is required
• signature of the main contact
• project title - snappy and memorable
• contact details

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b. MINIMUM CONTENT
Form or letter?
What to include

• Project details
• Project description
• Need demand
• Outcomes
• Partners/ships
• Cost/budget/income
• Start finish dates
• Method of evaluation
• Exit strategy
• How much is required
• Other funders

• Organisation details
• Aims/mission statement
• Objectives
• Brief history/track record
• Where based
• Legal status
• Structure

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c. SCOPE ATTITUDE
Blow your own trumpet Maximise your
assets Accentuate the positive Address the
negatives Overcome weaknesses Develop creative
solutions
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d. QUALITY SECURITY

• Insight
• Delivery
• Awareness, Risk Accountability
• Innovation Synergy
• Coordination

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e. CONCISE
Think of your audience!

• 1. How much
• will they
• can they
• are they
• .going to read?

• 2. Whats most important for them to read?
• Why? To whom?
• What value does it add?
• Does it develop our case?
• Clarify or obscure?

• 3. Beware technical language / jargon
• Right place right time ?
• Can distract or switch off
• Avoid patronising/ talking down to reader!

For each word/sentence
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f. WEEDING - techniques

• Break down the question
• Read relevant guideline/s
• Eliminate Repetition - right question, right
  place
• Draft and re-draft
• Cut and paste - makes sense?
• Relevance?

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g. CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

• Another reader - and listen

Expert required
Most important things first? In their view...
Ask Funding Advisor to read?
Voice any concerns
BEWARE - ASSUMPTIONS
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h. QUALITY - 4 checking steps

• Sense and clarity
• a) Editing
• b) Improvements
• 2. Structure - comment
• a) Layout
• b) Cohesion
• 3. Proof read

We tend to be our own worst judges!
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TASK 6 - pairs

• This is a good project?
• (well 3 different ones actually.)
• Proof it!
• Parts a, b and c

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QUALITY - 4 checking steps

• 4. Contents
• a) All pages included
• b) All sections completed
• c) All permissions/ approvals
• d) References/ letters of support / evidence
• e) All enclosures - referenced?
• g) Signed
• h) Dated - appropriately!
• i ) Copy for yourself

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RELATIONSHIPS? INFLUENCING?

Thanks
Invitations.
Additional support
Monitoring Evaluation
Mr Funder
Mrs Applicant
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JARGON
Need Demand Assessment process Features Benefit
s Outputs Outcomes Hard to reach User
involvement Social exclusion Social
change Sustainable funding Exit strategy Track
record Unsolicited
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YORK AND NORTH YORKSHIRE FUNDING ADVICE WEBSITE

• www.ynyfundingadvice.org.uk
• funding advisors contact details
• funding related news
• Details of funding training programme courses
• funding factsheets which give guidance on
  fundraising issues
• access to GRANTnet
• supporting information and statistical data for
  inclusion in your funding applications
• links to other useful sources of information

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QUESTIONS

• Your chance to
• Review the course objectives
• Ensure you have met your own objectives
• Ask any questions
• PLEASE COMPLETE THE FEEDBACK SHEET