1. How to achieve funding success

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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…

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Geographic data http://insight.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/

10. 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?

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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.

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

16. 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

17. Funding
Gifts and donations
Contracts/Loans
Grants
Trading