Fundraising can feel very daunting if you are new to it. However fundraising should be seen as an organisation wide activity and not left to a single person. Dividing up work across subgroups to undertake specific work spreads the load over the organisation.

If your organisation decides to apply for funding it is likely that you will need to develop a proposal describing your project.

A funding proposal should:

• Explain who you are
• Clearly identify the problem you aim to tackle and provide evidence (this is increasingly important)
• Explain what you intend to do with the money
• Explain how that helps the problem/ what you will change
• Provide your costs

Your proposal needs to be capable of being summarised on about two sides of A4 unless it is a big and complicated project. This then forms the basis of any applications you make.

When making an application:

• Ensure your application fits the funding criteria of the trust
• Provide full details of what you want to do and ensure that you cost the project correctly, including the appropriate proportion of overheads costs. If the trust provides criteria on what it pays for, follow them carefully.
• Don't harass trusts to find out how your application is doing as that may jeopardise your chances
• Try to develop an ongoing relationship with a trust. If you get funding, write as soon as possible to say thank you and invite them to see the work that they have funded. Trustees remember the organisations that stay in touch when they are not asking for something.

View the information sheets on Funding.