Grant Making Trusts

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Grant Making Trusts

It may seem like a big step when applying for a grant making trust for funding but it isn’t actually that complicated. Grant making trusts are charities, like any other charity they are governed by their specific charitable objectives.

Firstly, you must find the right trust to apply to, so it’s a good idea to get together with all those who have an interest in the funding – eg your PTA, staff etc, and really thrash out want you want the funding to achieve..

You then can go about pulling together a list of prospective funders who will support your aim. There are different ways to do this for example some local authorities will have a grant finding search engine on the trusts website. You may also be able to contact your local council for voluntary services either online, in person or by using a search engine. Nearly all funders have a criteria based on one or more of the following: Location, Who will benefit, the problem or cause you are trying to address, so always check that you match their criteria well.

The tricky part of the process comes next, which is narrowing the list of funders down to just a handful to ones that are right for you. A good thing is that there are thousands of grant making trusts which fund all different things in different ways meanings that you are more than likely going to find a potential funder. On the other hand this it also isn’t so good as the sheer volume of funders makes it difficult to find the perfect ones for you!

Things that are important to look for are: specific exclusions, areas of interest, limits to the size of grant they will give, the type of organisation they support, who they have funded before. These things should help you whittle your list down and get to a point where you are ready to start applying.

Once you have decided on the grant all you need to do is write the application. This should be easy as you already know who will benefit from it and the trust you are applying to exists to achieve the same things. Make sure that you keep your application clear and focus on what you are going to do, who will benefit and the outcomes you expect to see, how much it will cost and how long it will take.

Top tips

Read the guidelines, then reread so you fully understand them
If the funder’s eligibility criteria doesn’t meet your needs – move on
If it states that the fund or trust is willing to offer help and advice before applications are made contact them to discuss your proposal
Any application forms should be filled in as fully as you can – if incomplete it is likely to be filtered out
If you are not given an application form make sure you are concise in your written letter and include your latest annual report and accounts – should be no more than four sides of A4!
The proposal should be written by someone who has a full understanding of your organisation and the projects that you are requesting funds for
You must be able to demonstrate a need for the funding and be able to relate directly how it will help you serve your beneficiaries
When it comes to how much you are asking for be realistic
You may not receive a response from a single trust or foundation – apply to as many funders as you can to maximise your chances
Be patient and be prepared to not receive a reply!

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Grant Making Trusts

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