Putting together an application or proposal

Government, Lottery and European funders usually require completion of an application form. Charitable trusts, companies and individuals usually request a letter of submission.

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Receiving the guidance notes and application form prior to your application can alert you to deadlines and raise issues you need to resolve before completing the form. Copies of these forms should be circulated amongst key members of the organisation enabling them to consult with others involved in delivering the project.

Guidance notes
Must be read before completing the form. They explain how to complete the form (black ink, capitals etc). They give explicit clues as to the issues that the funder wants you to address.

Analysing the form
These are often lengthy and large so take time to digest the form itself.

• Look for ‘hidden nasties’
• Play to strengths
• Identify scoring sections
• Other key non-scoring parts
• Buttons to hit throughout
• Identify potential pitfalls – for example, does the funding come with unacceptable conditions for your project? Such as, does the grant have to be returned if outcomes are not met?

Key facts
However many times an application for funding is made, there are some key facts, which are often, if not always, requested. It is wise to have these details prepared and stored to save time and repeated research. If more than one person is putting together applications, then this will be a real time-saver and ensure standardisation of information.