Bid Support
Community First provide an advisory service to voluntary and community groups looking to access grant funding. We provide objective advice and feedback on completed funding applications to improve the chances of success the first time around.If you would like someone to look over your bid and provide advice prior to submission please contact Matt Lennard.
The following has been produced by Clare Wichbold MBE, Regeneration Coordinator from Herefordshire Council. It gives some basic advice to groups filling out funding applications. We recommend looking over these tips before you start writing any funding bid.
Ten do’s and don’ts for making a good funding application
DO:1. Confine your application to the information required
2. Show evidence of need for the project
3. Describe the project in a way that it meets the funder’s priorities
4. Make sure your objectives are clear and measurable
5. Describe how the project will be managed and monitored
6. Make a request for a specific sum of money
7. Ensure the figures in the budget add up!!
8. Make sure the budget is realistic
9. Make it clear where any other money is coming from
10.Describe your “exit strategy” (how you intend to carry on after the grant)
DON’T:
1. Rush to get an application in for an unrealistic deadline
2. Make spelling mistakes or use abbreviations and jargon
3. Make vague statements about what you want to do
4. Present a huge list of things you want to do
5. Forget to include all expenditure items and overheads in the costs
6. Forget about inflation and VAT where applicable
7. Rely on one person to put in the application
8. Send in lots of other information unless it is requested by the funder
9. Forget to send in anything else the funder has asked for
10.Forget to compare supporting information and the application