Are you ready for grant funding?

This checklist is informed by Connected Voice’s experience supporting VCSE groups with applying to Grantmakers. There are several things that may be required to apply for funding. Together these requirements represent strong governance and strategic vision which is essential to get your message across effectively while proving yourself as a low risk funding applicant. 

You do not need all of these for every application, but they are essential for a comprehensive funding strategy. 

Governance and policies

  • Do you have a complete management committee with 3 or more unrelated trustees or directors? (this includes people living at the same address)
  • Do you have regular meetings for which records/ minutes are kept?
  • Do you have a constitution or governing document that is relevant to the work you do?
  • Do you have strong charitable aims/ purposes that fit the work you do?
  • Do you have relevant key policies in place? (e.g. safeguarding, EDI, health and safety, data protection etc.) 
  • If a company or CIC, do you have a not for profit clause and a named asset lock organisation in your articles of association?
  • If a company or CIC, do all directors have equal voting share, meaning there is no single person with “significant control”?

Finances

  • Do you have a bank account in the organisation’s name with two or more unrelated signatories?
  • Do you keep financial records or accounts that track your income and spending?
  • Do you know how many months of running costs your unrestricted reserves (uncommitted funds) cover?
  • If a company, CIC or a charity that trades, do you have a business plan that ensures your trading activities are sustainable?

Strategic and organisational vision

  • Can you explain your organisation to a stranger in a concise and clear way?
  • Can you explain your organisation’s expertise, unique selling point or connection to the local community?
  • Do you have strong evidence of your impact and track record?
  • Does your website, social media and other marketing tell the right story about your organisation and share its impact?
  • Do you have a clear idea of what work you want to do or achieve over the next year?

Your project proposal

  • Can you evidence the need for your project proposal? (e.g. Who asked for it? What does the data say?)
  • What impact do you intend to make, or what change do you want to make for your service users? (These are your outcomes)
  • What exactly will you do to achieve these outcomes? (These are your outputs)
  • How will you deliver these outputs? (e.g. Who are the responsible persons? What collaboration will you require?)
  • If you are collaborating with another organisation, have you secured a formal agreement with this organisation on what each party will deliver and receive? (This is called a Memorandum of Understanding)
  • Do you have an accurate, detailed and itemised budget? 
  • Do you have a plan to measure or demonstrate the success of your work? (This is also referred to as monitoring and evaluation)

Managing risks

  • Have you thought about the potential risks involved and have a plan of how you will minimise these? (You can produce a risk register for your organisation and a risk assessment for any activity you carry out)
  • If working with vulnerable people or children, do you have the right level of DBS check and safeguarding training?
  • Do you have the relevant insurances for the activity you are carrying out? (e.g. public liability insurance or employer liability insurance)

What to do next

If you could not tick all of the above boxes and would like some help/advice contact us: email connect@connectedvoice.org.uk or phone 0191 232 7445

If you can tick all of the boxes, you are ready to research funding options. Connected Voice offer support, information and advice with the whole fundraising process.