"I'd just like to thank my
agent, my stylist, and everyone who believed in me when they said
I'd never make it."
Ok, so we're a bit more
sensible than the celebrities when it comes to award ceremonies but
we challenge you to make it through a Charity Awards event without
feeling moved by the tenacity, passion and power of charity to
genuinely change lives. And the impact of awards extends far beyond
a nice evening of canapés, posh frocks and well deserved
recognition.
Having an Award under your
charity's belt can be a powerful tool when it comes to recruiting
new staff and volunteers, raising funds and building new
partnerships.
With an increase in
applications grant funders receive, noticing that a charity has won
an award always grabs their attention - an award is seen as an
external and objective stamp of quality and achievement.
So if you think you'll look back proudly at what your charity has achieved this year, you might want to consider picking up your pen and drafting that Charity Awards
application.
1 Identify your story
The journey you have
been on and obstacles you’ve overcome are what makes you
stand out from the crowd, don’t be afraid to shout
about it.
2 Read, read and then re-read
Make sure you understand the entry
criteria and application form and ensure your submission
answers all the points.
3 Give yourself plenty of time to complete
your entry
You really need to dedicate some time, focus fully and
give it your best shot.
4 Use examples
Don’t just make a statement about what you do or what you’ve
achieved, substantiate your message with evidence and supporting
anecdotes to demonstrate your impact.
5 Edit, edit, edit
Your application needs to be clear
and concise. The Charity Awards judges are going to
receive and sift through numerous entries and you need to make it
as easy as possible for them to understand why you should be given
the award.
6 Proofread your submission
Typos and errors
really don’t look good on an award application.
7 Plan ahead
Map out your next steps if you
do get shortlisted for the awards. How will you maximise the
exposure granted to you? How can you use this in your marketing
plans and raise even more awareness for what you do?
8 Don’t take it to heart if you aren’t shortlisted
You’ll come
out of the process having learned a great deal (you’ll even be able
to use many of these learnings in other areas of your work) and be
in a better position for your next application.
Read our Chief Executive Sir John Low's
insight into being on the judging panel of the Charity Awards.
You can find out more about the Charity Awards on the Civil Society website
You can also read about how winning an award has had a positive
impact on previous winners.
WE CAN HELP
If you think your charity could benefit from help when
completing a grant application, our
fee-based Advisory service can support you through
the process. Get in touch or telephone 03000 123 334.