Core funding: operating costs such as salaries, rent, utility bills etc.
Project funding: for a specific project or activity, costs such as staff (inc freelance), travel, materials, refreshments etc.
Capital funding: for physical assets such as constructing or renovating of buildings, purchasing of land or a vehicle, improving IT.
Educational organisations, local authorities, businesses, individuals can all potentially apply for funding. But we will focus on Community Organisations and/or Non-Profit Organisations, these are usually
Registered charities: organisations whose aims and activities are exclusively for the benefit the community and/or public,
Community Interest Companies (CICs): businesses which trades for the benefit of the community"
Constituted community groups: groups that have a a formal written constitution dictating its aims and activities
Social enterprises: organisations that aim to generate the majority of their income from trading and invest profits to address issues social or environmental issues
Faith-based organisations (for community benefit projects): Faith based organisations adressing issues within their communities.
There are thousands of grant-making trusts, from small regional to national funders. Some of the most prominent funders are:
Find the right funder - Always check the Eligibility Criteria and read the guidance.
You will be required to demonstrate the:
Outcomes need to be SMART.
Specific: Host weekly IT sessions for 20 older people aged 66+ in the Ardwick area.
Measurable: 60% of participants will improve their IT skills by the end of the project.
Achievable: The goal should be realistic, considering the time, resources, budget. (We are training 20 participants in 3 months not 200.)
Relevant: It should align with your organisation’s purpose and the funder’s aims.
Time Specific: Include a timeline for achieving your outcomes. By Dec 2026, 20 older people will have improved their IT skills.
How much will it cost you? Be realistic and do your research. For example, a Fitness Trainer @ £150/session for 10 sessions, travel for participants 10 day-rider tickets @ £5 each, Teas & coffees £25 etc.
Allows you to assess how successful your project was or wasn’t by collecting information, analysing it, and learning from it. Evaluation allows you to
Measure success: Did you achieve your aims and outcomes?
Demonstrate impact: Show the funder and/or your community the difference you made.
Learn: What you can do better on the next project.
Always start evaluating at the beginning of a project. You can do it via
You will be asked to write about what you intend to do. If there is a word count, that will dictate the level of detail the funder is expecting. For example, if it says maximum of 2000 words and you’ve written 150, you’ll need to provide more information.
When writing your application, remember to make it clear. Ask someone else to read it before you submit. The person who works for the funder is unlikely to know anything about your organisation or your project. If they’re struggling to make sense of it, you’re unlikely to be successful.
A funder may request documents, such as:
When you’re writing a funding application, you need to demonstrate the need in your community and why and how your project can help those in need. Funders want to know that their money, going to your organisation, can make a difference.