Searching for Funding

1
Searching for Funding

• How to plan and apply for grants

2
Our Background in fund finding

• By 2002
• We operated a day nursery inside our former
  church
• We had a small 4 person Counselling team
• A coffee shop and book shop on the main street
• But..

3
Our background in fund finding

• The day nursery was cramped and over-subscribed
• We were outgrowing the church building
• The Counselling service needed to expand but
  required formal co-ordination
• The expanding youth ministry had no space of
  their own
• We wanted to work with the elderly but had no
  rooms or resources in which to do so
• We had no money for any expansion of facilities
  or ministry projects but a keen desire to do so!
• So.

4
We drew up plans (many times)

• Not just for buildings but also for
  projects/ministries
• We created the Manna House (Tamworth) Co as a
  registered charity alongside the church
• We began to search for funds for the specific
  projects from a wide range of potential funders

5
The results

• Since 2003 the Church and the Manna House Co
  together have received Capital Funding of
  250,000
• Built new Neighbourhood Nursery
• Restructured the Manna House/kitchens
• Re-roofed the new church
• Built the Day Centre
• Provided a dedicated youth area
• Revenue Funding of 320,000 over 5 years
• Supported cost of 33 nursery expansion
• Quadrupled the life crisis counselling project
• Launched/doubled the project for the elderly
• Expanded schools work into almost every school in
  the town
• Launched a drugs prevention/support project with
  other churches
• Expanded youth work to over 100 young people a
  week

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We now have

• Purpose built day nursery for 64 children
• Prime Time older peoples project with over 80
  regular participants
• Youth ministry reaching 100 young people each
  week
• Counselling team of 16 persons
• Pregnancy crisis team of 10 persons
• Schools programmes in almost every primary and
  senior school in the town.
• Staff of 30 people
• Reaching out into the community to around1000
  people each week beyond the walls of our own
  church/fellowship

7
Critical Success Factors

• Find out what your community really needs and
  consider how you can help.
• Develop a plan with timetable, budget and people
  plan
• Have a clear vision of what you are wanting to do
• Identify potential funders
• Be able to articulate your vision in the language
  of potential funders
• Be realistic about abilities, timescales and
  potential results
• Dont worry that you cant see how you are going
  to do it all have faith in God.

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How do you find out about your community needs?
PRAY at all times and God will make your vision
clear. Allow your churchs natural gifts,
talents and callings to be heard and nurture them
ASK

• Local and County Council
• Social services
• Youth services
• Local volunteer centre
• Other charity bodies in your area
• Other churches
• Doctors
• Your own church membership
• Look around you
• Walk the streets
• Talk to locals

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Clarify your vision and priorities

• Dont try to do everything at the same time
• Look for logical next steps from where you are at
  present
• Start to develop a vision and a plan
• Share your vision with the church to gain their
  feedback
• Seek wider participation in aspects of the plan
• Look for synergies in project work and funders
• Work out a more detailed plan with timetable and
  budgets
• Decide on the amount of Capital and/or Revenue
  you require

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Looking for Funders

• Directory of Grant Making Trusts
• Own copy/local library/CVS
• Internet
• Guide Star
• Charity Commission
• Search Engines
• Funder Finder (or similar) 150/75
• Funding policies
• Ethical funds
• Lottery funds

11
The Application Process

• Obtain an application form
• Ask for guidance notes
• Check funding criteria very carefully.
• If your project doesnt fit, dont apply
• Study the funders language and focus. List their
  keywords and use them in your application

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About yourself

• Local group or national body, affiliated or part
  of larger body
• Organisation, constitution, bank account.
• Accountabilities and Reporting
• Volunteer pool
• Current Financial position
• Relevant Partnerships
• Background
• What have you already achieved
• Dont be shy
• Success breeds success
• If your organisation doesnt yet have a track
  record
• Consider skills of team members
• Range of experience
• Professional skills and training
• Letters of support and endorsement
• Work done on the project to date (level of
  commitment)

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Why? Who? What? Where? When? How?

• Why is the project needed?
• Who will benefit?
• What is the project going to do?
• Where will it be based/take place?
• When will it be done?
• How is it to be carried out?
• The funder is funding the issue - not the
  things
• Think Outcomes
• The outcome of your project is the specific
  measurable impact on and benefits to your target
  population that are anticipated as a direct
  result of the achievement of your objectives.
• Think SMART
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Results-focussed
• Targetted

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EXAMPLE

• Prime Time Luncheon and Social Group
• How many people will come?
• 35 a day/2 days a week
• Who are we wanting to invite?
• People 60 living alone
• Why are we focussing on them?
• Isolation and Exclusion
• What benefit will they enjoy as a result?
• Engagement/Health
• How quickly will this benefit be achieved?
• Immediately/3 months

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Who is the project for?

• Be specific
• Young People Project
• Age range? Numbers? Locations? Ethnic group?
  Gender?
• What is the need? (Drugs counselling/homework
  club/evening social space/work experience
  /mentoring/ relationship support) ?
• Demonstrate disadvantage
• Hard facts not soft words
• Index of Deprivation (unemployment levels/single
  parent families/levels of debt/incidence of
  crime/violence/ASB )
• Do your homework before you apply.

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What are you wanting to do?

• The project work you are wanting to do and the
  difference it will make when you do so
• Achievable goals with specific numbers over time,
  rather than general statements of intent
• Write clearly in short sentences
• Stick to the point (remember the funder gets lots
  of applications all the time)

17
Where is the project to take place?

• In a building
• On the street
• In peoples homes
• In the church
• In a specific geographic area of need

18
When will it start and how long will it go on for?

• How quickly can the project get under way given
  funding?
• Can you start small and build up?
• Have you already begun? (beware of funders
  avoiding existing projects)
• Is this additional/new work?
• How long are you looking for funding for?
• What will you do when the funding stops?
• Can you develop internal sustainability?
• Is the project urgent and if so why?

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How are you going to do it?

• Finally..
• Nature of the work being undertaken
• Numbers of volunteers
• Numbers of people impacted/benefitting
• Detailed timetable of work (by year if necessary)
  with targets for each year.
• The detailed budget

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Money Money Money

• Have a detailed budget - dont guess, get quotes
• Keep your detailed costings
• Build in inflation
• Remember the hidden costs (training, insurance,
  overheads)
• Dont over-estimate to play safe nor
  underestimate to look efficient tell it as it
  is
• For salaries, use recognised pay scales
• Remember NI/Pension (if relevant)
• Expenses
• Set up costs (advertising/office equipment)
• Training
• Separate Revenue and Capital costs
• Show other funders (either agreed or pending)
• Show other sources of funding (including earned
  contribution where possible) to encourage match
  funding
• Show contribution in kind (volunteers hours at
  average earnings)
• Draw up a spread sheet so that you know it adds
  up!

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Final Thoughts

• Check the funders deadlines and dont overshoot
• Dont bid to the maximum just because you can
• Dont be afraid of big numbers per se, but
  consider breaking the bid down over several
  funders and over time.
• Check everything (including spelling)

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Checklist

• Business plan
• Annual accounts
• Drawing and planning applications
• Job descriptions and person specifications
• Policies and Procedures
• Health and Safety policy
• Risk Management policy
• Equal Opportunities policy
• Grievance and Disciplinary procedures
• Complaints procedure
• Child and vulnerable people protection policy
• CRB records
• References

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Searching for Funding

• Happy Hunting!