October 2013

Voluntary Centre Services – Vanessa Maunders

Lincolnshire Sports Partnership – Clare Gilman-Abel

Where to learn about Funders:Local Press ReleasesNational News alertsInternet search – www.fundingcentral.org.uk Database Resources –Lincolnshire Funding Portal: www.open4community.info/lincolnshire/ Local agencies can help you e.g. Voluntary Centre Services!

LINCOLNSHIRE: Lincolnshire Community foundation – oversee

numerous funding strands: Thonock Trust, Evan Cornish, Comic Relief

http://lincolnshirecf.co.uk/grants

IGAS ENERGY Community Fund – Certain areas of Lincolnshire close to the company’s operational facilities: (Welton, Gainsborough, Corringham, Glentworth, Scampton, Nettleham, Stainton, Cold Hanworth). Covers many project areas including local heritage, environmental schemes, community transport initiatives etc;

www.igascommunityfund.co.uk

LINCOLNSHIRE: The Police & Crime Commissioner Community and Volunteer Fund - Recognising that communities

themselves have a role to play in preventing crime and making the places where we live and work safe. The voluntary and community sector, communities and individuals can all be involved in delivering positive change that will benefit us all. The Commissioner also believes that some of the most important work that makes a difference on the ground to people’s lives can be provided by volunteers and local people. Small amounts of money can go a long way and make a real difference.

This Fund has been specifically set up to assist small local, community based groups in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and supporting the victims of crime.  In particular, to support as many smaller projects as possible, projects which are aimed at younger and older members of the community and which are supporting victims, witnesses and vulnerable people.

In 2013-14 an amount of £30,000 has been set aside for the Fund.

Applications are invited from community groups, voluntary and community organisations for a minimum of £250 up to a maximum of £1,000. 

All grants will be required to provide evidence upon completion of the activity. Activity should be completed during the current financial year and any grant which is unspent by 31 March 2014 will become repayable.

  Grants can be used for materials, projects or activities. 

http://www.lincolnshire-pcc.gov.uk/Get-Involved/Community-and-Volunteer-Fund.aspx

NATIONAL: Big Lottery www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Awards for All (£300 -£10,000):For activities that will benefit the community, including: putting on an event, activity or performance buying new equipment or materials  running training courses  setting up a pilot project or starting up a new group  carrying out special repairs or conservation work  paying expenses for volunteers, costs for sessional

workers or professional fees but won’t pay salaries! transport costs.

NATIONAL: Big Lottery www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Reaching Communities (£10,000-£500,000): Reaching Communities has two strands:1. Revenue and small capital – funding from £10,000 to

£500,000 for revenue projects and/or smaller capital projects up to £50,000. 

2. Buildings – funding of between £100,000 and £500,000 for large capital projects.

(Reaching Communities buildings will only support buildings or sites based in the most deprived ‘Lower Super Output Areas’ (LSOAs) in England.)

FUNDING SPORT PROJECTSNATIONAL: Sport England http://www.sportengland.org

Small Grants – £300 to £10,000 grants to get more people playing sport

Inspired Facilities – Funding to refurbish, upgrade or develop sports facilities from £20K-£50K although statutory organisations can apply for up to £150K (with match funding)

FUNDING SPORT PROJECTS

NATIONAL:Sport England http://www.sportengland.org

Get Equipped – Grants from £300 to £10,000 to provide specialist equipment to deliver sport to disabled people

Inclusive Sport –  £10,001 or more grants scheme to get more disabled people playing sport regularly

Community Sport Activation Fund - Projects could be for up to three years and grants will range from £50,000 - £250,000 with partnership funding required to deliver support to sports development in targetted areas /groups.

NATIONAL: Heritage lottery www.hlf.org.uk

offer a range of different grant programmes with grants from£3,000 to over £5million.

NATIONAL: BBC Children in Need www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey This will fund constituted, not for profit organisations working to

combat/alleviate disadvantage for children aged 18 & under in UK. Applications can be for activities, equipment, salaries, volunteers’ expenses, travel costs etc.

Small Grants – one year grant up to £10,000 Deadlines 1st April, 1st June, 1st September, 1st December, 1st February Decisions are received in 8-9 weeks of application deadline

Main Grant – grants over £10,000 a year for up to 3 years. Deadlines 15th May, 15th September & 15th JanuaryThis is a 2 Stage process – an initial application followed by a Full

Application. If the initial application is successful youwill be asked to submit a full application within one month. Funding decisions will take approximately 4 months from the initial application deadline.

Researching Grant Funders Know their approach, priorities & processes (Funders

can be very individual)

E.g. Some funders only fund groups which: Are constituted as a charityOr Are registered as a charity Or Can provide audited accounts for a specified number

of years

THE GRANT CYCLE: The main stages for a typical grant application

are:  Prepare Apply Receive Deliver

Application Questions Know your group & its needs

Activity: Complete Fundraising for beginners hand-out;

 Your Group The Project Difference your project will make How will you measure success?

Outline your Mission Statement – know your group’s aims & objectives;

Compile some background information about your group, its work, especially some success stories, its history and plans for the future.

Details: Photographs, Newspaper cuttings etc

The following quote from the BBC Children in Need Grant Guidelines states clearly what is expected:

“A thoughtful and honest application always stands out from the crowd! Tell us clearly what the problem is and how your project will do something about it. Give us the relevant facts and figures, please don’t use jargon and be vague. You don’t need to promise the moon, just tell us what you can realistically achieve.”

What are the timescales? Do they fit your project? Check funders guidelines / criteria – Does you

project meet it? Speak to staff from funding organisation Check what other projects they have recently

funded – look at their accounts or on their website

Be concise and logical in your application Be persuasive, enthusiastic and honest

Assessing potential funders for a project:

Planning = Being prepared Know your projects/ activities & full costsGet quotes!Remember to have a contingency budget!

Have a project plan

Make sure group or organisation has a set of rules or constitution

Other relevant policies/procedures

Ensure group has a bank account in group’s name and at least 2 signatories

Annual audited or signed accounts

Consultation – Ask: “What can you do better”

Feedback can be gathered informally at a coffee morning;

formally by survey/ questionnaire; anecdotally.If consulted 5 years ago check still relevant.

Analysis of Need - State: What the area is like e.g. Rural; What services are available OR lacking;

Statistics – Use statistics and research. Census figures; Neighbourhood website; Lincolnshire Research Observatory.www.research-lincs.org.uk

Strategies : Local authority – community strategies – key

priorities

Does your project meet one of these? If so state it!

Evaluation: Do a pilot project or hold a taster day if possible; You can then state it was successful and the

number of attendees, and the feedback was of wanting more.

Generally application take one of two forms:

By Letter

By Application Form

Target a named person where possible; Try to limit to no more than 2 sides A4 paper; Be specific about:1. Project need e.g. Outline any research done;2. Project costs3. Who other funders may be

Keep it simple and enthusiastic; Include any requested (or promised) enclosures

Before starting to fill in application form, READ all accompanying information;

Read the form through before you start to answer the questions;

Photocopy the blank form, so you can draft as many copies as you need;

Get someone else to check the draft application before you complete the original;

Keep it plain and simple – use bullet points to make answers easier to understand;

Facts and figures are better than vague statements; Always fill in all the questions that apply to you;

DON’T leave any box completely blank.

Avoid jargon; Use short sentences and simple words; Be concise (avoid waffle); Use active rather than passive verbs; Give specific examples, not generalisations; Attractive presentation – Headings and bullet points;

check spellings; choose an appropriate font size e.g. Arial or Times New Roman, no smaller than font size 12;

Emphasise the project’s benefit to people; Keep a copy of the application

Why applications fail:EligibilityFunder’s criteriaBid to benefit organisation, not peopleCostings TimescalesForm fillingMatch funding

You are not a lone soldier; ask people like ourselves for help.

We can: Advise on appropriate funders;

Read through your draft application;

Point you in the direction of others who can help.

Our details for further advice:

Vanessa Maunders Outreach Project Officer for Community & Voluntary

Groups  Voluntary Centre Services The Guildhall, Marshall’s Yard Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2NA Tel: 01427 613470                                             www.voluntarycentreservices.org.uk vanessa@voluntarycentreservices.org.uk

Our details for further advice:

Clare Gilman-Abel Funding Officer

Lincolnshire Sports Partnership Unit 9, Allenby Business Village Crofton Road Lincoln 01522 585580 www.lincolnshiresports.com Clare.gilman-abel@lincolnshiresports.co.uk