TANSTAAFL - Funding Top Tips

TANSTAAFL -  Top Tips for Funding Applications

Someone I’m working with asked for a quick response as they were seeing a potential funder. I sent them this — how did I do?

The main thing to keep in mind for a funder is, what are you giving them? In business, this will be ROI — you put X in, you get Y back by Z date.
In non-profit, they are still looking for outcomes, for example:

  • how you’re hitting specific targets they have (funding bodies have metrics)
  • how you will publicise their sponsorship (arts funding)
    The more tangible you can make this, the better, for example, “We will use your money to buy books and run a workshop” is more solid than, “we’ll take your money and ponder how we will change the world” :)
    So,
  • This is the money we need
  • This is how we will spend it
  • This is what we (and you) will get out of that
  • Here are our mechanisms to ensure it happens properly (people in roles, plans etc)
    The last point is important for you and them — assess any risks and define how you might mitigate them in advance. You might not want to share all of this, but it’s a useful exercise and you could share what you are doing to maximise success.
Jon Collins

Jon Collins

Word weaver, tale teller, singer of songs, baker and candlestick maker. Pattern whisperer. Distiller of clarity from complexity. Professional focus on software delivery, with all that enables it.
Cotswolds, UK