How to write a winning funding bid

Bid and technical writing is a must for charities seeking external funding. Whatever the source, grants, trusts, government, or any other, writing a bid is an essential skill. 

 

Our top tips for writing funding bids help charities with their applications.

 

 

Reach out to the funders

 

Contact funders by email, phone, or social media.

 

Touch base to find out whether your organisation is a good fit and whether you’d like to work with them. Having dialogue before sending the application means they are aware it’s coming.

 

 

Read the eligibility requirements

 

This tip cannot be emphasised enough.

 

Read through the eligibility rules a few times to make sure the team understands all that is involved. There may be certain legal requirements that must be adhered to. Charity numbers and legal structures are just the beginning.

 

 

Match funding with your purpose

 

There are many pots of funding for specific projects. To make the most out of your time, go for specialised bids. Charity Fundraising Ltd spells it out: “Match funders with your work. Do your research, allocate funders to suitable projects – don’t twist inappropriate projects to match funder priorities.”

 

 

Get organised

 

Aside from assigning resources, think about how your charity appears. For those leading the digital side, make sure the website and profiles are up to date and consistent.  Charity Comms summarises: “Funders are likely to check your website and social media as well as reading your application. They may also look at your submissions to the Charity Commission.”

 

 

Make your project clear

 

Most funders will want to know in detail what you’re doing. At Charity Digital we recommend being clear about plans. That means: “Your application should make it very clear what you expect to do with the money; how the project will work and who will be involved. It should also provide detail on the outputs and outcomes expected from the project.”

 

 

Show you know your audience

 

Closely linked to showing who you are helping, grant givers want to know how you know there is a need for your work. Rainbow Partnership at the Lesbian & Gay Foundation gives practical advice: “Back up what you’re saying with facts. If you don’t currently have these facts then you could perhaps do a simple questionnaire to your service users.”

 

As an example, citing need in terms of numbers works well. Noting that the current service is over-subscribed by a certain percentage demonstrates there is demand for more.

 

 

Demonstrate why you need the funds

 

Gather evidence and consolidate the rationale for funding. Bid For Success outlines the expectations: “Most grant funders will let you know what they will expect to see as proof that you are delivering on your promises, but make sure that you read the fine print as sometimes those requirements can be quite onerous.”

 

 

Include sample reporting

 

Another top tip for a successful bid is to illustrate how you will report impact to the funder. Creating a great report means deciding on what KPIs determine success and how they will be measured. Remember to use data story telling techniques to build the narrative.

 

 

Use digital content editing tools

 

Make the bid easy to read by avoiding acronyms and technical language. Authors should also make use of spelling and grammar editing tools. The best ones out there not only look for errors but can also suggest better ways of writing.

 

 

Putting the financials together

 

Often, funders need to understand how the charity is already operating. West Sussex County Council offers six points to consider putting to paper:

• What the income and expenses look like
• Project’s annual or forecasted budget
• What the financials controls are
• Who is managing the project
• Who is responsible for the project;
• If there are previous Annual Reports available

Use your financial management system to customise reports and pull out data. Ultimately, funders want to know how responsible the organisation is when it comes to money.

 

 

Experience and track record

 

Funding applications commonly require details around the team and overall record of delivering success. When detailing who is involved, make sure that their skill sets match what funders are looking for. Seniority counts, but also that the team involved has previous experience with similar projects.

 

 

Use digital resources

 

Remember, writing winning bids are not solo projects. Many other successful charities have come before. Leverage experiences by checking previous applications and their resources.

 

Charity Excellence Framework has a repertoire of information, including a Help Finder for support and pro bono advice; and a Data Finder for statistics. There’s also a grant finder for those looking for funds.