Heart of England in Bloom Fundraising ideas

1
Heart of England in Bloom Fundraising ideas

• Clare Wichbold MBE
• Regeneration Coordinator, Community Regeneration
  Team
• Herefordshire Council

2
Contents of presentation

• About me
• Before you start writing
• What you need to write a bid
• How to go about writing a bid
• What not to do/ what you should do
• Sources of funding
• Success story
• Where to get further advice
• Questions?

3
Me!!!

• Background in archaeology
• Worked for Lottery in Birmingham
• Moved to Herefordshire in 1999
• Work full time and have a small holding
• Not much of a gardener

4
Take a deep breath before you start

• There are over 4500 trust funds in ENGLAND
• Failure rates for bids can be as high as 90
  depending on the funder
• Incomplete applications are the main source of
  delay or failure
• Correct budgeting is a must
• Good bids take time

5
Before you start writing

• Who is going to write the bid(s)?
• Subcommittee or other people
• Need delegated authority to do bid(s)
• Recorded in minutes of committee meeting
• How to report back to main committee
• One person or group feedback

6
Before you start writing

• Plan meetings
• How often, who comes along to meetings
• Plan timetable for bid(s)
• Drafting, coordinating and assembling take time
• Confirm submission date(s)
• Make sure you dont rush to submit unless you are
  100 sure the bid is OK

7
Before you start writing

• Key questions
• Why do you want funding?
• What will the grant(s) pay for?
• What is the strategic fit?
• What is going to happen in future?
• Do you need other money?
• Can you do the project by yourself?

8
Top tip

• Think about working partnership it can bring so
  many benefits to your group

9
Before you start writing

• Make sure any information you have on funders is
  up to date
• Make sure you have the correct requirements to
  apply to the funders
• Must fit eligibility criteria need to think
  about who will be the applicant
• Area of benefit - do you fall within the area to
  be supported by the funder - geographical or
  thematic?

10
Top tip

• Remember funders are human beings and will talk
  to you and advise whether or not it is
  appropriate for you to apply!

11
Before you start writing

• Timescale - does your project fit within the
  grant giving timetable of the funders so that the
  money will come at the right time?
• Funding - is the amount of money available
  sufficient to support your project, or do you
  need to do several bids?
• Match funding - do you need money from other
  sources to cover the rest of the costs?

12
Before you start writing

• Can you demonstrate a need for the project?
• Information gathering to prove that the project
  should go ahead
• Can use questionnaires, surveys, published
  information, own research, photos, past successes

13
Top tip

• Remember even if funders are human beings, they
  may be based far away and not know the
  circumstances under which you are operating -
  you must sell your project as if to a complete
  stranger

14
What you need to write a bid

• Constitution, bank account, accounts,
  organisational details must all tie in together
• Time set aside to write the bid(s)
• Lead person to coordinate bid(s)
• Person to coordinate specialists
• Coordination of partners if working together

15
What you need to write a bid

• Photocopy application forms before you start
• Use version control for draft applications
• Get copies of supporting documents ready if
  required
• Photocopy final application forms
• If a large bid, how will you get it sent or
  delivered to the funder?

16
How to write a bid

• Draw ideas together
• READ THE QUESTIONS!!!
• Get main details down for organisation to begin
  with
• Write out the rest of the questions
• Sort out referee(s)
• Get someone else unconnected to check it all
  and then check it again

17
How to write a bid

• Think about monitoring and evaluation
• Keep records of what you are doing, including
  minutes of meetings, timesheets, recruitment
  procedures, invoices and receipts
• May need to submit quarterly or yearly returns
  about the project

18
What not to do

• Dont rely on one person to do all the work
• Fail to read the application form or guidance
  notes
• Fail to answer any questions
• Dont leave the box blank, use not applicable
• Dont use out of date evidence of need project
• Dont say that youll take any money offered
• Dont submit a budget that doesnt add up
• Forget include all expenditure items and
  overheads in the costs
• Forget to add in VAT and inflation

19
What to do

• Be clear where any other money is coming from
• Give a start date rather than say when we get
  the money
• Write clearly and concisely and use bullet points
  where possible
• Avoid abbreviations and jargon
• Use any checklists supplied by the funders
• Compare supporting information and the
  application
• Make sure any additional information is
  appropriate and asked for by the funder

20
Sources of funding

• Where to go to get the prize

21
Sources of Funding

• National Lottery
• Grant making Trusts and Charities
• Local funding sources
• Not exhaustive - but a good start!!
• We have lots more information available and so do
  colleagues in other local authorities

22
National Lottery Funding

• Community - Big Lottery Fund, has a wide range of
  programmes and supports many projects
• Heritage Heritage Lottery Fund, range of
  programmes and encouragement of wide community
  involvement, including environmental projects

23
Changing Spaces

• http//www.community-spaces.org.uk/
• Small grants 10,000 - 25,000
• Medium grants 25,001 - 49,999
• community gardens and parks
• informal sports/multi-use games areas
• nature reserves
• squares and village greens
• churchyards
• projects which improve the local communitys
  access to green space

24
Awards for All

• YOU could apply!
• Involvement of people in their local community
• Priorities include skills for small groups and
  volunteering
• Sports, arts, heritage, charitable, environmental
  and other community activities
• Grants between 300 - 10,000
• www.awardsforall.org.uk

25
Grant making trusts and charities

• Be aware there are thousands of trusts and
  charities
• Limited availability for ongoing projects
• Be prepared to spend a lot of time finding
  funding
• Be ready for a lot of hard work and many
  rejections

26
Local funding

• Local authorities may have grant schemes to which
  you can apply
• Parish councils set a precept each year could
  you influence this and get money set aside for
  In Bloom?
• Business support cash or in kind
• Volunteers worth their weight in gold their
  time counts as funding!

27
Grant funding BQ

• 50-500 of materials from BQ
• Long term benefit
• Community involvement
• Supported through local stores

28
Its your community 02

• Grants between 100-1000
• Improving places communities share
• Improving natural environments
• Tackling issues head on and restoring a sense of
  pride
• www.itsyourcommunity.co.uk
• Supported In Bloom projects around the country

29
Central Networks

• Safer Environment Fund
• Lasting and positive impact on community
  environment
• 2500 maximum

30
Central Networks

• Contact details
• Jason Guest
• Central Networks, Toll End Road
• Tipton West Midlands DY4 0HH
• www.eon-uk.com/distribution/
• saferenvironmentfund.aspx

31
Words of warning

• Be prepared to work in partnership rather than as
  a single group
• You may not be successful - ensure you receive
  feedback if not to learn for future applications
• You must be prepared to manage expectations if
  you are unsuccessful
• Dont start your project until you get the offer
  letter as grant makers dont fund retrospectively

32
Top tip

• Remember - getting the money is often easier than
  delivering the project! Once the offer letter is
  in your hands, the hard work really starts

33
Success story

• Leominster Flower Pot Kids
• 750 for gardening equipment
• Run by young people themselves
• Ryan Holland Pride of Herefordshire Award
  winner 2007

34
Contacts

• Local authority contacts for counties
• Two tier authorities in many places county and
  district check
• Contact local Council for Voluntary Service or
  Rural Community Council for further help

35
Herefordshire

• Herefordshire Council Community Regeneration Team
  - project development service.Telephone
  01432-261793 or 260636. Email Projectdevelopment_at_h
  erefordshire.gov.uk
• Website www.herefordshirecouncil.gov.uk

36
Gloucestershire

• Gloucestershire County Council Jayne West,
  Policy Support Officer, Voluntary Sector Affairs,
  Email jayne.west_at_gloucestershire.gov.uk
  Telephone [phone]
• Rural Initiative Fund a small grant scheme for
  up to 500 for rural communities. Kate Baugh,
  Gloucestershire Rural Community Council. Email
  kateb_at_grcc.org.uk Telephone [phone]

37
Staffordshire

• Staffordshire County Council, Community Sector
  Grants, Chief Executive's Office, contact Nicola
  Edmonds. Telephone [phone], email
• nicola.edmonds_at_staffordshire.gov.uk

38
Worcestershire

• Worcestershire Voluntary and Community Sector
  Grants, Telephone [phone]
• jbishop2_at_worcestershire.gov.uk
• Non-statutory organisations and operate in the
  not-for-profit sector
• Groups that are able to demonstrate their ability
  to deliver benefit to the community within the
  period of the grant, and to sustain their
  activities
• Groups whose activities benefit residents of
  Worcestershire

39
Shropshire

• Community Council of Shropshire The Creative
  Quarter Shrewsbury Business Park Shrewsbury
  SY2 6LG
• Telephone [phone]
• Voluntary sector support organisation for county

40
Warwickshire

• External Funding Officer based in the
  Regeneration Unit, gives advice on bids and
  grants
• Sarah Clay, telephone [phone], email
  regeneu_at_warwickshire.gov.uk

41
West Midlands

• Birmingham City Council External Funding Team,
  email
• efs.enquiries_at_birmingham.gov.uk
• Walsall Borough Strategic Partnership, Mike
  Gaffney, Telephone [phone],
  email gaffneym_at_walsall.gov.uk

42
And finally

• Questions now or over lunch
• Good luck with your bidding!!