Applying for a grant

Top tips for applying for a grant:

  • Make sure you are eligible for the programme and can meet the criteria set out. Please answer the eligibility questionnaire honestly. If you are not a good fit for the programme you will save yourself lots of time by realising this at the start of the process.
  • Read the guidance notes before you complete your application. These often include what information is being requested, the questions that will be asked and common FAQs. We want to help you get a grant, so all information provided is to help you do so.
  • Upload all documents requested. Please read carefully our details on what is needed and ensure this is uploaded. Missing documents can slow down your application and in some cases may mean you don’t receive a grant.

What funders look for in a grant application:

  • How you will meet need. Funders want to know how you’ll meet your beneficiaries' needs. What’s gone well that you may develop in future? Has there been consultation and how has it been evidenced?
  • What impact you will have. Impact should be the thread that runs through your whole application. How will the grant be used, what difference will it make to you and your beneficiaries and how will you measure this impact?
  • Your organisational capacity. Funders look for evidence that you’ve thought about long-term sustainability and what needs to change in the future. This will include having the right policies in place to undertake your work and having good financial management.
  • Your budget. Is your budget clear and linked to your planned activities? Funders want to know that you have the ability to manage a grant and how you can demonstrate that. Does your budget request reflect the impact you want to achieve? Does it reflect value for money?