Top Tips from The Gathering

Wow! Thank you to everyone who came along to Funders’ Question Time at The Gathering 2020. It was a packed session and we hope those who attended found it insightful. A special thank you goes out to our wonderful speakers who took the time to talk about their funding programmes and share advice on increasing your chances of securing funding.

• Janet Morton, Senior National Officer Scotland – Children in Need 
• Lindsay Dougan, Community Investment Manager – SSE Renewables 
• Katie Winwick, Grants and Relationships Manager – The RS Macdonald Charitable Trust 

As promised, we’re sharing ten Top Tips that came out of the presentations and questions at the session. They are things to keep in mind throughout the fundraising process, from research and application writing, to relationship building and evaluation. 

Top Tips 

1. Do your research – Find funders that best suit your proposal, it’s time well spent. 
2. It’s good to talk – Contact the funder before applying. Ask what their current funding priorities are and discuss your ideas with them. 
3. Don’t reinvent the wheel – Show that your proposal is well thought out, is needed and has support. 
4. Be alert for opportunities to collaborate with other organisations. 
5. Think about monitoring and evaluation at the outset. 
6. Build relationships – Keep in touch with your funders! 
7. Be honest – Funders are interested in what has gone well with a project, and what hasn’t gone so well. 
8. Seek your funders advice early on if you can’t do what you were funded to do. 
9. Get your application in before the deadline. 
10. Be prepared for rejection but don’t give up! – Talk to the funder and ask for suggestions for improving your chances in the future. 
11. (Bonus tip!) Get support – If you’re struggling to secure funding or just want to chat to someone about your proposal, your local Third Sector Interface can offer funding support in your area.