ISSUE A (UK) 01.03.18
HAGS
The Good Funding Guide
A practical step-by-step guide to fundraising for public and voluntary sector organisations looking to create play or sport facilities.
hags.co.uk I sales@hags.co.uk I 0845 260 1655
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Introduction Fundraising in the UK has never been stronger or more successful than it is today. Whether you are a professional or volunteer fundraiser, a consultant or first-timer, your role is absolutely essential in raising vital funding for the school or community project that you support. As a fundraiser, you represent your group and all their hopes lie with you. Although you’d probably rather be getting on with the ‘real’ work in your organisation and delivering those all-important services and activities, you also need to spend some time planning and preparing your fundraising strategy so that you can achieve delivering projects that are not part of statutory or regular incomes.
Organisations in the UK are hugely generous. They recognise what a vital role groups like yours play in UK society, as they contribute over £8 billion out of their own pockets each year. So your task is to capture that generosity by taking a planned, strategic and professional approach, coupled with passion for your cause.
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Using this Guide There isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to fundraising and so we’ve tailored this guide to give you the flexibility to make choices and plot a path based on your own personal circumstances. If you’ve got time on your hands, a passion to learn and an opportunity to dive into fundraising and discover what is fast becoming a science, then use our step-by-step guide to give you a simple framework and pathway to success. If however, you’re like the majority of us and have no time and you need all the professional help you can get, then we can support you here too with an introduction to a dedicated independent specialist that has a track record of raising funds for Schools, Parish Councils and Community Groups.
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Step by Step Guide The principle of fundraising is to raise money by asking for it, and by now you’ve probably figured out you need cash and lots of it to deliver your school or community project. Fundraising can be time consuming and demanding. It is a good idea to form a fundraising sub-group so that the work load can be shared. Many skills are required for successful fundraising: communication, organisation, enthusiasm, confidence and commitment. Working as a group you’ll be able to draw on the skills, experiences and ideas of a number of different people. The principle of fundraising is to raise money by asking for it, and by now you’ve probably figured out you need cash and lots of it to deliver your school or community project.
The real science is in how to ask for it and planning your approach is just as important as the actual ‘asking’ (applications). It’s worth putting some thought into an outline business plan covering the following areas to give you the best possible chance. Your Organisation • Your Mission • Your Aims • Structure • Track record Your Project • What is the project? • Why is there a need for the project? • Who is affected and who will benefit?
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Step 1 - Preparation Measures • How will the project make a difference? • Do you have any evidence to support your need? • How long will your project take? Budget • How much will it cost? • When do you need the money? • Who else is involved in funding or delivering the project? Future • Is this a pilot project, a one-off piece of work, or an ongoing activity? • How will you continue to fund the project? • How will you service and maintain your project after completion?
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Step by Step Guide Be careful when setting yourself targets for fundraising as not all fundraising activities or applications yield results instantly but once you have an outline business plan, a detailed understanding of your user needs, a visualisation and budget you’re getting closer to making formal approaches for funding. Fundraising through Businesses Businesses are increasingly keen to contribute to their local community and this often involves supporting organisations. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), where businesses consider their social, environmental and other responsibilities, is now an important part of many companies’ activities, especially as it
brings benefits such as recruiting and retaining motivated staff, improving brand awareness and helping to increase sales or profits. (Examples: Tesco Bags for Help; ASDA Foundation) Fundraising through Trusts & Foundations There are about 8,800 trusts and foundations in the UK, ranging from the Big Lottery Fund, which funds projects across the UK from National Lottery money, to regional funders such as the Lloyds TSB Foundations and Community Foundations, to locally specific funders. For many fundraisers, particularly from smaller organisations, grants from trusts and foundations can be a significant part of their income. (Example: Awards for All)
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Step 2 - Selection Fundraising through Sport England A public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Sport England is planning to invest £250m over the next four years in sports and fitness facilities. The main objective of their Active Nation scheme is to get more people active, regardless of their age and level of ability. (Example: Community Asset Fund) Fundraising through Landfill Tax The Government introduced tax on landfill waste in 1996 to reduce the amount of land-filled waste and to promote more environmentally sustainable methods of waste management. The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) allows Landfill Operators (LOs) to contribute a portion of their landfill tax liability to community and environmental organisations to ‘offset’ some of the negative impacts of living in the vicinity of a landfill site. (Example: Biffa)
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Step by Step Guide Allow yourself plenty of time for writing a funding application. Make a note of the deadline for submissions and the turnaround time as these can vary greatly between funders. Assume nothing: Assume that the funder has no prior knowledge of your group, organisation or local area. What may be obvious to you may not be obvious to the person assessing your application. Proof Read: Get someone not associated with the project to read the application or letter when it’s finished. This will give you a good idea of how it reads.
Presentation: Do not hand write your applications, even if the rules allow it and you think your handwriting is very neat. It will always look more professional when typed neatly. Don’t rush: A successful funding application takes time and effort. Don’t rush it. Make sure everything is exactly how you want it to be.
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Step 3 - Application Other information: Send all supporting documentation required by the funder. Funding applications can be immediately rejected if supporting documents are missing or are incomplete. If sending a copy of your annual accounts or your constitution make sure they are signed and dated. Most funders will ask for your most recent bank statement. This must be an original and will be returned to you. Single or multiple funders? You may decide to apply to one funder for the full amount or a few funders for different aspects of the project. Some funders don’t like to be the sole funder on a project, while others do. Bear in mind that you might not be successful, so it’s important to have other potential funders you can contact.
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Recommended Grant Providers Ernest Cook Trust Type of Funder: Private Trust Criteria: All Target Group: Education Grant Size: £4,000 - £12,000 Web Site: www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk Richard Overall Trust Type of Funder: Private Trust Criteria: Special Needs Target Group: Education Web Site: www.richardoveralltrust.co.uk Wooden Spoon Type of Funder: Private Trust Criteria: Special Needs Target Group: Education Grant Size: Project Based (£40k average) Web Site: www.woodenspoon.org.uk ASDA Foundation Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: up to £10,000 Web Site: www.asdafoundation.org Awards For All Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: All Grant Size: up to £10,000 Web Site: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding Aviva Community Fund Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: up to £25,000 Web Site: www.community-fund.aviva.co.uk BBC Children in Need Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: All Grant Size: £10,000 + Web Site: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ b008dk4b
Big Lottery Reaching Communities Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £10,000 - £500,000 Web Site: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding Healthy Hearts Grant Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: Sport and Health Target Group: All Grant Size: £10,000 Web Site: www.heartresearch.org.uk/ community-grants Lloyds Bank Foundation Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: All Target Group: Disadvantaged - 17 years + Grant Size: £10,000 - £25,000 Web Site: www.lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk Playing Fields Legacy Fund Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: Sport and Health Target Group: Community Grant Size: £10,000 Web Site: www.playingfieldslegacyfund.org.uk
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Recommended Grant Providers Premier League and FA Facilities Fund Type of Funder: Foundation Criteria: Sport and Health Target Group: All Grant Size: £10,000 - £500,000 Web Site: www.footballfoundation.org.uk/ funding-schemes Sport England - Small Grants Type of Funder: Sports England Criteria: Sport and Health Target Group: All Grant Size: £10,000 Web Site: www.sportengland.org/funding/ Sports England - Community Asset Fund Type of Funder: Sports England Criteria: Sport and Health Target Group: All Grant Size: £1,500 - £150,000 Web Site: www.sportengland.org/funding/ Biffa Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £10,000 - £75,000 Web Site: www.biffa-award.org/ main-grants-scheme Veolia Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £10,000 - £75,000 Web Site: www.veoliatrust.org/funding SITA Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £50,000 Web Site: www.suezcommunitiestrust.org.uk
Viridor Credits Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £100,000 Web Site: www.viridor-credits.co.uk/ apply-for-funding WREN Recyling Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £100,000 Web Site: www.wren.org.uk Cory Environmental Trust Type of Funder: Landfill Tax Criteria: All Target Group: Community Grant Size: £50,000 Web Site: www.enovert.co.uk/ Trusts Visit www.dsc.org.uk for more grant providers.
hags.co.uk I sales@hags.co.uk I 0845 260 1655
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Independent Fundraising Specialist Now you’ve read the 3-Step guide and realise this may be more difficult and time consuming than you first thought, don’t despair. Sports and Play Consulting Ltd is an organisation that will help if: • You have limited time and resources available to find the right funder and develop a business plan •
You want advice and guidance on fundraising strategy or specialist advice on a particular form of fundraising including the application process
•
You want a fresh and objective perspective or new ideas
•
Your organisation is new to fundraising and simply not sure where or how to start
•
You want an organisation who is a real specialist at getting funds for your sports, fitness or play area
Sports and Play Consulting Ltd can help your organisation look again at their fundraising activities or help you to get started and guide you through the entire process.
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Sports & Play Consulting Ltd Sports and Play Consulting is an independent business with over 20 years of experience working with schools, councils and corporations to help address challenges and achieve their goals. HAGS has partnered with Sports and Play Consulting Ltd business largely because our principles and objectives are very similar, with one very simple goal – To help individuals and organisations deliver great play and sports facilities for local communities across the UK.
The role of Sports and Play Consulting is: • Understanding your project and outcomes in more detail • Help with a business plan • Assist with sources of funding including many unknown grant makers • Tips with writing a successful application Sports and Play Consulting Ltd will walk you through the entire process and be part of the project with the same goal in mind. Whether you are working on behalf of a school, a council or community group, this level of support can mean the difference in success or failure with your project.
hags.co.uk I sales@hags.co.uk I 0845 260 1655
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Sports & Play Consulting Ltd Step 1 – Contact Sports and Play Consulting Limited
and the application process itself. Should you decide to engage formally with Sports and Play Consulting, a
Michael Carter
time and date will be organised to meet in person.
E: michael@sportsandplayconsulting.co.uk W: www.sportsandplayconsulting.co.uk
Step 4 – Complete the applications
M: 07421 463099
At this point you will be ready to submit the applications to the funders. Understanding that
Step 2 – Discuss the project and complete a project brief
this process can take some time and that there will
Initially they will discuss the project, understand at
be different stages of the process, Sports and Play
what stage you are at with the process, time frames,
Consulting will continue their support throughout.
and how Sports and Play Consulting can assist. A simple project document will be sent to you for
Step 5 – Final Stages and Funding Approval
completion and then a time and date will be organised
Hopefully you will have been short listed, responded
to go through the next steps over the phone.
to any queries from the grant makers, and ultimately awarded the funds you had applied for. At this
Step 3 – Meet in person or discuss over
stage you can start discussing the project with the
the phone the funding strategy
potential suppliers and work on the implementation
This is the most detailed part of the process in terms of
stage for all that hard work you have invested.
what planning you need in place, funders to approach
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About your Project Your Organisation (Your Mission; Your Aims; Team Structure; Track record)
Your Project (What is the project? Why is there a need for the project? Who is affected and who will benefit?)
Measures (How will the project make a difference? Do you have any evidence to support your need? How long will your project take?)
Budget (How much will it cost? When do you need the money? Who else is involved in funding or delivering the project?)
Future (Is this a pilot project, a one-off piece of work, or an ongoing activity? How will you continue to fund the project? How will you service and maintain your project after completion?)
hags.co.uk I sales@hags.co.uk I 0845 260 1655
HAGS
The Good Funding Guide
hags.co.uk I sales@hags.co.uk I 0845 260 1655
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