1. Introducing… Funding & Investment Team

2. Agenda Who we are The FiT services Why Funding? Resources available?
How we can support you

3. Who we are A team of funding specialists & subject matter experts
Over £64 million
Support public, private and voluntary & community sectors to source and secure funding
Success rate 53%

4. The FiT Services Research & Identify Funding Opportunities
Bid Quality Assurance
Bid Writing / Critique
Partnership Facilitation
Funding strategy / horizon scanning service.
Bid review / quality assurance service
Bid development support
Free quotation based on hourly rate
Scoping, look for opportunities
Bid QA
Bid Writing / Critique – We can provide you and your organisation with specialised bid writing and critique skills as and when you need them. Can do this on a per bid basis or have been contracted to organisation to deliver clear programmes of work.
Partnership facilitation – bringing partners together for larger bids
Funding Optimisation – Getting you the most from the funding that you are applying for works in tandem with our funding strategy development. Looking for match etc
Funding Strategy Development – will talk more about this later in the workshop. Important not to live from grant-to-grant but instead to plan ahead for the future. can identify the opportunities going forward to support the vision of your organisation.
Financial modeling & analysis services – we can provide the full financial modeling and analysis services for your project – making it as robust as possible will be important for the larger / longer term bids. We can provide the knowledge and skills within our finance team to forecast project cots going forward and produce the modelling information that some funders require.
Bring all services together in a subscription service over the course of a year
Funding Optimisation
Funding Strategy Development
Financial Modelling & Analysis

5. Why Funding?
Pays for a specific project or outcome
Specific, measurable, time limited, project-type activity
Equipment or capital purchases

6. Resources available - free support for customers
Access the ‘What can you get for free’ section of our website
Sign up to Funding Essex alerts
Use Essex for Community as a search tool for grant funding.

7. Funding Essex bulletin service
Sign up for Funding Essex bulletins
12 funding themed topics

8. Funding Essex
Subscription holders will also benefit from bespoke monthly bulletins, tailored to your needs as discussed with your linked FiT member.

9. Essex for Community http://idoxopen4community.co.uk/essexcommunity
Seek out grants, awards and other funding relevant to your organisation by answering a few simple questions

10. What options are available to you?
Grants – gifts awarded for specific activities/outcomes
Loans – similar to commercial bank loans +
Awards – for achieving something
In-kind – e.g. mentoring, marketing etc.

11. Example Opportunities
Education Endowment Foundation
Sport England – Community Asset Fund
Wolfson Foundation Secondary Education Programme
Salix Energy Efficiency Fund
Big Lottery – Awards for all
Crowdfunding

12. Education Endowment Foundation
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has grants available to fund the development and evaluation of projects that seek to improve the educational attainment of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Foundation will fund projects for the benefit of pupils and schools in England, including early years settings and colleges. EEF do not fund projects in one or very small numbers of schools/settings. Their smallest projects have been in 3-4 schools, but are typically in more than 20, and often over 50, institutions. Who can apply: mainstream primary and secondary schools, charities, local authorities, academy chains, universities, social enterprises and community interest companies. Funding: Up to £50,000 Deadline: Will re-open for applications in 2017.

13. Sport England – Community Asset Fund
The Community Asset Fund is provided and administered by Sport England as part of their continued investment in local infrastructure which gives people the opportunity to get active.
The new funding programme aims to help Sport England achieve the following:
Improve and protect existing sports facilities that support the needs of local communities.
Invest in new and different places that meet the needs of local communities, which include Sport England's target audiences.
Ensure Sport England's capital investment reaches organisations that have not accessed Sport England's funding before.
Create a more resilient, sustainable, less grant dependent sport sector.
Who can apply: Grants are available for community organisations, sports clubs, statutory bodies and educational establishments to enhance local community spaces which encourage people to play sport and get active
Funding: Up to £150,000
Deadline: This is a rolling programme

14. Wolfson Foundation Secondary Education Programme
Funding is available for capital or equipment projects relating to the teaching of science and technology, languages, music, the arts or libraries. Projects should focus on students taking A-Level or GCSE examinations.
Who can apply: High-achieving state-funded and independent schools and sixth form colleges. The main aim is to support schools with a proven record of excellence. Schools with a clear record of continuing improvement may also be considered.
Funding: Grants do not normally exceed £50,000 for schools or £100,000 for sixth form colleges.
Deadline: There are two deadlines for stage one applications each year: 10 January and 10 June.

15. Salix Energy Efficient Fund
The Salix Energy Efficiency Fund is available for academies and sixth form colleges that have energy efficiency projects that need capital to invest but may not meet the Condition Improvement Fund's criteria. This could include projects such as: Lighting or heating controls; LED lighting and Insulation or boiler/heating system upgrades.
Who can apply: all academies, including those in large Multi-Academy Trusts as well as sixth form colleges.
Funding: The main criteria is that the projects must pay for themselves within 8 years through the annual energy savings. Schools that have a project that doesn't quite meet the 8-year payback but have some capital to put towards it can still apply. For applications for over £100,000 schools will need to complete a business case.
Deadline: Will re-open for applications in 2017

16. Big Lottery – Awards for All
Awards for All is a National Lottery funded scheme providing grants for small community-based projects. The programme aims to bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need. It funds projects that involve people in their communities, bringing them together to enjoy a wide range of charitable, community, educational and environmental and health-related activities.
Who can apply: Not-for-profit groups, community groups, parish and town councils, schools and health bodies.
Funding: Grants between £300 and £10,000.
Deadline: Applications can be made any time.

17. Crowdfunding
…is a way of raising finance by asking a large number of people each for a small amount of money.

18. How we can support you? Researching funding opportunities
We are a team of research specialists who can identify funding opportunities and policies applicable to your project.
Developing a funding strategy
A funding strategy that outlines which forms of funding are available and which you’ll consider, for example, grants, fees and charges, or social investment.
Training
We are delivering training via EES, this tailored training provides a fantastic basis for gaining the right knowledge and skills to embark on accessing funding.

19. Bid development:
Partnership facilitation
Our team have the experience and connections needed to develop and manage partnership projects.
Bid writing and critique
You can use our specialised bid writing and critique skills as and when you need them.
Bid quality assurance
We will be your critical friend, giving guidance and suggestions to ensure your bid is the best it can be before you submit it.
Project monitoring and evaluation
We can monitor your project to make sure the work you’re doing meets the conditions of your funding.

20. Annual Subscription
The complete package!
- Dedicated Funding Officer
- 150 hours of support time
- Monthly tailored funding bulletin

21. Top Tips Sign up to Funding Essex and Essex for Community
Perform regular searches and set up alerts
Do not chase the funding – apply for things you want to do
Plan ahead - do not leave until the last minute
Seek support – Funding and Investment Team, local authority, other support available

22. Close – Q&A opportunity
“Thank you for the very interesting and useful workshop. It was one of the most professional presentations I have attended and the information provided will be invaluable. A week later, I am still enthused by your talk and cannot wait to begin gathering information to write a good bid.” — Diana Davis, Our Lady of Ransom Catholic School
"The team are very helpful, responsive and proactive. They do really know the sector and how to be successful in accessing funding.”— Lindsay Fox, Young Concern Trust
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