today’s aims: improve your funding success rate enhance the readability & relevance of your...

Today’s aims:

•Improve your funding success rate

•Enhance the readability & relevance of your applications

Led by: Sue Scott

Grant funding applications

© Idox plc 2013

2Grant funding applications

Improve your funding success rate -

Techniques to enhance the readability & relevance of your grant applications

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3Workshop outline

> Readability & style

> Understanding funder motivations

> Proving need & demand

> Describing outcomes & benefits

> Your questions

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4Key principles of successful bid writing

> Effective communication - reflect the funder’s values> Focus on the customer’s need> Sell the benefits and outcomes> Describe your solution with conviction> Provide evidence of delivery capability

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5Effective communication – writing styles

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6Your writing style> Make every sentence count “The application

submitted is too muddled”

> Do you need to use jargon? > Avoid long words or sentences

> Concise is nice, brief is better

“Be clear and straight to the point about what the funding is actually for…”

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7Readability tests

> Two examples…

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8Active voice

> Sentences in the active voice are shorter, clearer and more direct.

> They can also convey more enthusiasm and passion…

‘We will fight them on the beaches’

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9Passive voice> Sentences using passive verbs tend to be flat and lacking

interest

> They add words, making a sentence long-winded

‘The enemy will be engaged by us on the beaches’

‘The Council instructed the clerk to write to the County Council requesting……’

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10A helpful tool…

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11Tips on layout

> Use structured headings to grab the reader’s attention & keep them interested:

‘Measuring success’

> Use white space - around your headings it gives them attention

> AVOID USING ALL UPPER CASE AND UNDERLINING

> Use captions to sell your message

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12Tots to teens – having fun and keeping active

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13E-bids

>Doing not reading!>Need dynamic style with fewer words>Need lots of hooks>Front-loaded headings>Bullet points>Shorter sentences and paragraphs

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14Effective writing – elementary rules

> Never use a long word where a short one will do> If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out> Never use the passive where you can use the active> Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can

think of an everyday English equivalent> Never use a metaphor, simile or figure of speech which you are used to

seeing in print

George Orwell, ‘Why I Write’ , Penguin Books 2004,

first published 1946

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15Any questions?

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162. Funder motivations…

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17Understanding funder motivations

> Fund guidelines> Published material – Google!> Personal contacts> Events> ‘call to discuss the application first’

Person-to-person discussion

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18Reflecting funder values

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19Show your project’s most relevant side

> Frontloaded funder benefit statements...

“Tots to teens will gain improved health, fitness & social interaction while enjoying the play space”

“Young people at risk of offending will have access to recreational facilities such as cookery classes and music workshops.”

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20Bring the project alive…

> A catchy name, eg Teen Cuisine

> Service user testimonials

> Photographs

> Infograms – Information is Beautiful

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213. Proving need and demand

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22Be persuasive

> What’s the Need or Problem?

> What’s your Solution?

> Is this solution wanted?

> Show plenty of evidence of need, ie. “Community fundraising has already started”.

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23Evidence for need

> Parish surveys

> Parish Plan

> Neighbourhood Plan

> District & County Council strategies

> National government policies

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28Answering the question correctly

• Inputs = resources you put into your project (eg staff time, funding, venues)

• Outputs = activities or products (eg promotional leaflets, play space)

• Outcomes = about change (eg improved confidence; new community groups & leaders)

• Impact = the outcomes and long term effects (eg community ownership & management of a building)

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31A fresh pair of eyes

Your critical friend will be able to spot:

•Assumptions about knowledge

•Areas not described well

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33What next?

Funding for Beginners Courses:

>3 April – Saunderton, Buckinghamshire>5 June – New Ollerton, Nottinghamshire>6 August – Cirencester, Gloucestershire>19 August – Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Thank you!

today’s aims: improve your funding success rate enhance the readability & relevance of your...

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