Are you looking for funding?
Developing your ideas and applying for funding
We can help you when you are developing your funding applications. We offer one to one surgery sessions to help you as you progress your application.
You can also conduct funding searches by visiting our Grants Online Portal.
We are always available to help you with your funding searches, either by using the Grants Online Portal, by phone, email, or in person. Please don’t hesitate to contact our team here at CVS Falkirk for further information and support by phone: 01324 692000, or email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk
Funding Focus
Each week, our Organisation Development team highlight a selection of Funding available to the Third Sector through our ebulletin – which we will also promote here so you can get an idea of what is available.
Rosa’s Voices from the Frontline Fund
Rosa’s Voices from the Frontline fund offers one-year grants of between £500-£10,000 to support campaigning and influencing work that enables women and girls to use their voice to achieve change. The deadline for applications is 4pm on Monday 9 December 2024.
To support applications, Rosa are running information webinars ahead of the deadline. The next session will be held on Wednesday 27 November, from 2-3pm. If you are not able to attend, you are welcome to contact their team for the webinar recording.
For more information, please click the above title.
Falkirk Community Choices Programme
Falkirk Council are pleased to announce that the latest round of the Community Choices programme has launched, offering community groups the chance to apply for Small Grants of up to £5000, which can be used for projects that benefit local communities, such as: purchasing equipment; organising community events; or buying essential items like white goods.
The application deadline for Small Grants is Monday 9 December 2024.
After the application phase, local people will have the opportunity to vote for the project they want to see happen in their ward. Voting will take place during February 2025.
For more information, please click the above title.
Our team also creates monthly funding focus reports which offer an overview of the sector’s funding opportunities.
- Health & Wellbeing Funding Focus (June 2024)
- Volunteering Funding Focus (June 2024)
- Community Ownership Funding Focus (June 2024)
- General Funding Focus (August 2024)
- Health and Wellbeing Funding Focus (August 2024)
- Volunteering Funding Focus (August 2024)
- Community Ownership Funding Focus (August 2024)
- General Funding Focus (October 2024)
To receive these directly, please contact our team: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk.
Top Ten Tips for Funding
1. Review your constitution
It’s really important you review your constitution regularly: it is your governing document and tells you how your organisation must be run so make sure it is fit for purpose before planning any projects or applying for funds.
2. Do your homework
Always read the funder’s guidelines and the information on their website about work they’ve supported in the past and what they want to fund. It might sound obvious but often groups or organisations spend a lot of time applying to funders who have specific criteria or aims that they don’t meet.
3. Plan ahead
Preparing applications and going through the process can take a number of weeks, if not months. Many funders will have deadlines throughout the year so diarise when you need to submit your application and give yourself plenty of time from applying to when you need the funds in place.
4. Be specific
Make sure to answer the basic questions clearly and concisely when describing your work and how the funds will be spent: Why is it needed? Who will benefit? How many will benefit? How will they benefit? Where will it take place? What will happen if the project doesn’t take place? How will you evaluate your success?
5. Get your facts and figures right
Make sure your application is fact based and your numbers add up. Specify all costs and break down the figures so that the funder understands where you have got your numbers from and include quotations and estimates rather than approximate figures or guessing how much things will cost.
6. Get in touch
Many funders will be pleased to hear from you- once you’ve read through their guidelines- if you have questions and to discuss your application. It shows that you are keen to work together and understand what they are looking for and also gives the funder the chance to learn more about the work that you do.
7. Make sure you’ve enclosed all the documents requested
You’ll normally be asked to share a copy of your constitution and your annual accounts along with other supporting documents and policies. This is a great way of showing your organisation’s credibility, that your finances are properly managed and that you adhere to any applicable guidelines for example Child Protection Policy.
8. Check, check and check again!
Compare your application with the funders guidelines and make sure you’ve answered all questions and addressed all points. Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct too.
9. Ask someone to read your application
It’s a great idea to ask someone outside the organisation to have a read through your application – many things that may be obvious to you might be difficult to understand or vague to someone unfamiliar with your work. If they can understand the proposal then it’s likely the grant assessor will too. CVS Falkirk is happy to review applications and offer guidance with funding applications.
10. SUCCESS!
You’ve secured the funds – congratulations. The work doesn’t stop here though! Remember to record any statistics, case studies, photographs etc. that you need for your monitoring report and submit it before the deadline. It’s really important to meet the funder’s conditions of grant and could help with future funding bids.