Funding

There are over 2,000 funding schemes available in Kent, as well as national schemes, to support local voluntary and community groups and each will have its own set of criteria and timescales for applications/bids before they part with any cash or payment in kind.  

Finding the right funder can be tricky, so where should you start?

There are some important things to consider before applying for any funding:

• The project
• Project management
• Outcomes
• Added value
• Helping hand
• Budgets
• Loans
• Funders

The project

Most importantly, what is the funding needed for? 

Will your project:

• involve construction work (capital costs)
• provide services (revenue costs)
• or a mix of both?

Some funders are selective about the type of projects they will support.

Whatever the type of project it should be properly planned before looking for a funder, as this will allow you to estimate how much money is likely to be needed. Draw up a list of all the items that will need to be considered to achieve the aims and objectives of the project.  These should include:

• What do you want to achieve from the project?
• How will the project be undertaken? Include all the resources needed for the project such as equipment, staff, premises, training and partnership working.
• Where will the project take place?
• When would be the best time to undertake the project? Consider things such as lease renewals, weather conditions for any outside construction work or school holidays periods for example.
• Who will be responsible for overseeing the project to ensure it gets done? Will this be the responsibility of 1 person or a co-ordinated team?
• Will the project need 1or more grants? Money for initial setting up then more for running costs?
• What will happen to the project if additional funding is needed or the funding period expires before completion? Consider elements that might hold the project up such as delays in receiving equipment, even red-tape requirements.

Your project planning should cover every aspect of activities and tasks needed throughout the project.  

Project management

Funders may require evidence that you can manage your project and account for the how the money is spent. Ask your group if anyone has experience of either type of work.  Compile a time schedule giving target deadlines for each element of the project and its completion. This will show you have thought things through and later allow you to keep things moving and to know exactly what stage the project is at any given time.

Outcomes

As with any application form you will be asked for a lot of information in relation to your project, most of which we have covered in the project section above, however you may also be asked for outcomes.  Outcomes show what benefit the project will make to the people/ organisation / community and help you identify whether you have achieved the aims

You may be asked to provide evidence of the proposed outcomes, especially if part of the funding will be held back and payment is reliant on outcomes.

What are outcomes

• Building blocks towards reaching your project's aim.
• The changes or differences your project will make over time.
• The result of what will happen not the activities.

Many funders prefer the use of SMART outcomes

• Specific
• Measurable 
• Achievable
• Realistic 
• Timed-based

Added value

If you are asked about the added value your project will provide it basically means, what additional benefits will your project achieve over and above what, if anything, is already in place. For example :

1. A nature reserve may at present only be accessible to people on foot and not suitable for people with physical disabilities. Your project aims to improve access for this group including wheelchair users. However, by adding this route you will also be making it suitable for young families with pushchairs therefore encouraging another user group to access the facility - hence creating added value.
2. A local community hall has only basic toilet and hand washing facilities and is under utilised. Your project aims to install a new kitchen area and improve existing facilities to make the hall a more viable venue for community activities such as lunches for older people and a pre-school breakfast club site.  The added value, in this case, would be that the hall would now also be suitable to hire out for private functions and would bring in an income which could be used toward the general maintenance of the building.

Helping hand

To help you understand and use terms common to application forms, take a look at the Jargonbuster, by the Charities Aid Foundation. This is a resource compiled by a range of funders to provide a better understanding between themselves and the organisations they want to fund.

Budgets

We all deal with budgets in our everyday life. How much to spend on food, the mortgage, the car and if there is any leftover - the holiday. So budgeting is nothing you have not done before, you just have to be sensible, realistic and logical when planning your project.

Look at all the elements the project will involve: equipment, materials, people, timing etc. Work out how much each element will cost, add them together and that is the amount, the budget, you need to raise.

It would also be wise to consider adding an additional amount to cover any unforeseen costs, i.e. the price of materials goes up, you may also want to include a sum for paying volunteer expenses in your funding application/ bid.

Loans

A loan is just that, it has to be paid back and usually with interest. A loan will commit you to an agreed repayment schedule. This can help you think through the viability of your project. If it appears you would find it difficult to repay a loan, you may be better to look at grant funding instead. Loans cannot later be converted into grants if circumstances change.

Your group's governing documents i.e.: constitution, memorandum or articles of association, must give you the legal power to borrow and pledge assets as security if necessary. If your scheme was set up some time ago and the documentation is unclear on this point, consult a solicitor.

The group's Trustees may be nervous about taking on financial commitments, which might leave them personally liable or commit a successor to ongoing repayments so get advice from the loan company.

Funders

Now, having spent some time on the basics, who has money to fund your project?

There are many funding options available, we have listed a few as a guide, please use the following links to find the most suitable funder for your project.

• County and local funding schemes
• National funding schemes
• Youth volunteering funding schemes