Written by our very own fundraising expert, Rachel, this week’s blog gives you some top tips for structuring a successful bid application. If you’re currently looking for fundraising options for your playground project, or you’re about submit your own bid, get in touch to arrange a free consultation with one of our expert team, or to get additional advice on your project. Book a consultation here.
A successful bid is one that clearly and effectively presents the reader with the essential information about its request for funding. But it also does more than this – it conveys a powerful story about the need and the impact that the funding will bring.
Follow these five key headers to help you organise your bid, signpost the reader and make the strongest possible case for support:
1. Project title
This may sound obvious, but it is often forgotten in bids. A short and descriptive project title can help the reader quickly grasp what you are trying to achieve. It also helps to make your bid memorable.
2. Description of the project
This is your opportunity to describe in as much detail as possible what exactly you are going to do with a grant. Tell the reader who will be involved, where and when your project will take place and how you will deliver it. This shows that you have undertaken thorough project planning.
3. Budget
Include a project budget, preferably presented in a table, showing the breakdown of costs. Say how you have worked out these costs. If the total project cost is bigger than the funding you are asking for, show how you will fund the rest and, if relevant, how the project will be sustained over the long-term.
4. Why the project is needed
Bidding for funding is a competitive process. You need to make it clear why the reader should support you. One of the most effective ways to do this is by defining a problem. What problem or issue will your project address? Remember to write specifically about your case and the people who will benefit, not just generally. You need to back up your statements with evidence. How do you know the problem exists? Who have you consulted and what did they tell you? Use independent reports or statistics, conduct a pilot study or survey, seek case studies or testimonials.
5. Outcomes
It is crucial that you tell the reader what difference your project will make and how this will help the funder achieve their own objectives. Think about the people who will be involved in your project and how exactly they will benefit. Refer back to the problem that you outlined and present a vision of how their lives will be improved.