How to achieve funding success

What are funders looking for? Who you are – clear, concise, specific = confidence Experience / Credibility Benefits / Needs Measures of success Cost – realistic Why would it interest funders? Sustainability

Types of need What types of need might be used to illustrate an application? What types of need might an individual have? Think laterally Think obliquely Think of an angle Think of the multiple barriers that an individual might face

Types of need Poverty Unemployment Social Isolation Equalities Lack of skills Environmental What would happen if you don’t do anything?

Types of Need All these types of need might be built into an application to support a case for funding Match the need to the priorities of a funder…

Tudor Trust ■ Organisations working directly with people who are at the margins of society ■ A focus on building stronger communities by overcoming isolation and fragmentation and encouraging inclusion, connection and integration ■ Organisations which are embedded in their community and which can identify and channel the potential within that community – whether the local area or a ‘community of interest’ ■ Organisations which can demonstrate that they listen to and are responsive to their users ■ Organisations which are thoughtful in their use of resources and which foster community resilience in the face of environmental, economic or social change

Children in Need Have you consulted with the children and young people themselves? It is a very good idea to get them involved in the planning - ask them what they need, what kind of services they want to see, when they would like them to run, which kinds of equipment would be most used and valued. Wherever possible, you should also involve children in the running, development and management of projects. In this way you will be able to plan a project that children and young people want and will be likely to feel ownership of. This will increase its effectiveness.

Big Lottery Reaching Communities Involving people in your project. We will only fund projects where the people who will benefit will also be involved in planning and running the project. This is because evidence shows engagement with users is a key success factor in projects that make a real difference to their beneficiaries.

Geographic data http://insight.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/ http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/ http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics http://www.data4nr.net/introduction/

Locally held data and research Oxfordshire County and the District Councils – some councils are very good at producing locally focussed data and research Do local policies support your projects? Do local priorities or locally commissioned research support your work? https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/plans-performance-and-policies https://www.oxford.gov.uk/districtdata/site/scripts/home_info.php?homepageID=7 http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work/policy-and-performance http://www.southoxon.gov.uk/about-us/how-we-work/policy-and-performance http://www.cherwell.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5462 http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/about-the-council/plans-policies/policies-strategies/

Internal Organisational Evidence ■ Organisations which are embedded in their community and which can identify and channel the potential within that community – whether the local area or a ‘community of interest’ ■ Organisations which can demonstrate that they listen to and are responsive to their users ■ Organisations which are thoughtful in their use of resources and which foster community resilience in the face of environmental, economic or social change

Internal Organisational Evidence What kinds of evidence could you keep or use to support an application?

Design, delivery and management Funders are increasingly looking for a level of involvement by service users Design – If service users are involved in identifying needs and designing a project you have evidence both of locally identified need and the most appropriate way of meeting that need Delivery – Shows involvement by the service user and hints at future sustainability, skilling up service users to support the project and learn skills that might help them in the future Management – Demonstrates that the project is under local not external control

Structuring an Application It’s all about the narrative The story behind the project The need – identified by both external and internal evidence and the method by which you meet that need Realistic budget including added value Design, Delivery and Management If Design, Deliver and Management are included, then structuring and creating a credible narrative becomes that much easier.

Track record / References Are you fit for funding? Constitution Policies Management Committee Evidence Track record / References Finances - uptodate

What to avoid Show that you are familiar with the subject – don’t just say it is a problem, focus on what you can do about it Be specific – don’t generalise Using jargon and/or acronyms Realistic budget and accurate financial information Avoid cookie cutting / cut and paste especially from funders website Read the criteria thoroughly Time

Funding Gifts and donations Contracts/Loans Grants Trading

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