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A step-by-step guide to use as a template for successful funding bid writing for charities, with example bid writing questions to ask yourself at the end. And if you're not confident enough to do it without some support and want some help, use our free AI charity funding bid writing service.
To use our free charity funding bid writing, register then login, click the in-system AI bunny icon, then his Funding Bid button and he'll write your fundraising case for support for you. But we do a lot more than that. Funding Finder finds grant funding and Help Finder company donations.
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Our funding bid isn't about what we want, but what our beneficiaries need and the grant funder wants. We are meeting a real need, not just chasing funding. We’ve looked at the funder’s website/annual reports to see if they’ve funded projects like ours before.
Our bid meets the funding criteria - they are a funder of our type of charity and the work we want to apply for.
Our bid includes the information, facts and/or figures, to make the case for funding, explains why we are best placed to deliver the project, and conveys the urgency of the need and the difference the project will make.
Our You Tube channel Fundraising playlist has various fundraising courses, including these.
| Funding Bid Eligibility | Examples & Ideas to Include in Your Bid |
| We are eligible to apply and our bid meets all of the funder's requirements. | Funders may specify deadlines, word counts, specific information or data they require (such as accounts). Make sure you are eligible and comply with their requirements? |
| We have identified and responded to any of the funder's priorities. | Funders may prioritise certain groups or activities. For example, disadvantaged or maginalised people, or projects that are self sustaining or may be looking for innovation and new thinking. If your project falls within their priorities, include that in your bid. |
| Charity Funding Bid Questions | Examples & Ideas to Include in Your Bid |
| Why is your charitable project/activity needed? | It's not about what you want, but what the funder wants and what your beneficiaries need. What is the unmet need you will address? You can use Data Finder to source facts and information to support this. |
| What makes funding your project so urgent and/or important? | There is huge competition for grant funding - what makes your project particularly urgent and/or important? |
| If there has been any recent media coverage, or research reports that make this issue topical or bring out its importance/urgency, you might reference these. | |
| Tell me about any key dates and, if applicable, how long it will last. | Include any key dates, bearing in mind that many funders meet quarterly, or even annually. |
| Describe what your project will involve, how it will be delivered, where and/or by whom, including any partners. | Funders want to see that you have a practical deliverable plan that will address the need they fund, so give them the information needed to show that you do. |
| Outcomes are the difference your project will make – list these, including who will benefit, the numbers and how big an impact this will have on them. | Funders want to make a difference, so show them that your project will. How many will benefit and how big an impact will this have on their lives? Here's our impact/outcomes resource for more advice. |
| Will there be other benefits, such as impact on the wider community, helping you make the activity sustainable, or creating best practice that will be shared? | Your project may have wider, or long term impact as well. For example, reducing anti-social behaviour in the local community or making a change in someone's life that will impact them for the rest of their lives. |
| How will you know/measure that you project has been a success and how will you report that to the funder? | That might be the numbers who benefit and/or feedback surveys, or some other measure of the change you will have made. Funders like to hear about the impact they have, so will you produce a report, or write to them? And will you recognise their support by including that on marketing materials, website or report or inviting them to your event? |
| Funding Bid Question | Examples & Ideas to Include in Your Bid |
| What amount of funding are you requesting? If it’s only some of the funding you need, write ‘A contribution of…’ | We are seeking grant funding of £3000, or a contribution of £500 towards the total cost of £3000. If you've already secured some income, you might want to mention that to show others think your project is worth funding. |
| Provide a simple breakdown of what you will spend this funding on and the amount for each item. | Funders want to know what they will be paying for and that your budget is reasonable. Include the main headings and amounts for each. |
| AI Bid Writing Questions | Examples & Ideas to Include in Your Bid |
| Is there anything else that will make your funding bid really compelling? | Have you won an award, achieved accreditation for an activity, work to a quality framework or hold a quality mark that helps to demonstrate the quality of your work? |
| What about facts/data on previous activities/years that shows just how effective you are? | |
| Or perhaps that demand for your services has increased significantly or you have had really positive feedback. | |
| Including a relevant quote can help to engage the funder and demonstrate the impact you have - include the name of the person or ‘anonymous’. | People give to people. Do you have any quotes that show the impact you have on their lives? Maybe, something like, Josh, who attended last year's event, said "It was absolutely brilliant and I made lots of new friends". |
A registered charity ourselves, the CEF works for any non profit, not just charities.
Plus, 100+downloadable funder lists, 40+ policies, 8 online health checks and the huge resource base.
Quick, simple and very effective.
Find Funding, Free Help & Resources - Everything Is Free.
To access help and resources on anything to do with running a charity, including funding, click the AI Bunny icon in the bottom right of your screen and ask it short questions, including key words. Register, then login and the in-system AI Bunny is able to write funding bids and download 60+ charity policy templates as well.
My thanks to Lisa Gagliani whose input improved my original draft.
