Big Lottery FundImproving your chances of success

Sarah CarrollFunding Officer (Local)

16 July 2014

Awards for All

•Grants of £300 - £10,000 (no more than £10,000 in any 12 month period)

•12 months to spend grant

•Open to community and voluntary groups, schools, health bodies and parish / town councils

•New activity and projects - Not for running costs

•Repeat and regular activities (if income less than £30,000 in last financial year)

•Apply 4-5 months before project starts

What the money could be spent on...

Research / feasibility studies

Equipment hire or

purchase building and refurbishment work (costing less than

£25,000)

transport costs

updating equipment and premises for health and safety reasons

Training and sessional workers

volunteer expenses

venue hire

What we cannot pay for...

Fundraising activities

Money already spent or activities that happen or start before we pay the grant

Activities which the Government has a legal obligation to provide

Staff salaries and other day

to day running

costs incl. routine

repairs and maintenanc

e

Used vehicles

Activities which promote politics

or religion

Reaching Communities o 1-5 years funding

o Main programme (two stages):

―Revenue grants £10,000+―Smaller capital grants £10,000 - £100,000

o Buildings programme (three stages):―Larger capital projects £100,000 +―Geographically targeted at most deprived

areas―Multipurpose buildings

Reaching Communities

• Very competitive programme

• Applications from community & voluntary groups, charities, statutory bodies, social enterprises, not-for-profit companies

• Apply at least 10 months before project starts

• Outcomes focused

• Community led

Reaching Communities You must contact us if...•You are applying for Reaching Communities Buildings project

OR

•You are planning to apply for more than £500,000

OR

•Your project has previously been funded by us

Improving your chances

• Read the guidance carefully and thoroughly

• Clearly define and EVIDENCE the need your project is seeking to address

• Ensure that your proposed activities are clearly linked to your outcomes

• Consult and involve your beneficiaries – they will be fundamental to the design of your project

• Prove that your project will make a difference – why is your way the best way?

Evidence the need

It’s not just about what you think

Don’t assume that readers (funders and partners) will automatically see there is a

need. It is up to you to convince

them.

Sources of evidence

‘Hard’ Information

Local statisticsFocus groupsQuestionnairesInterviews

Focus groups

Consultations

Interviews

‘Before and after’ data Deprivation

Index

Census

Strategies and policies

Research reports

Local & national priorities

Local statistics

Questionnaires

Letters of support

‘Hard’ Information

Waiting lists Office for National

Statistics

‘Soft’ information

Tips on evidencing need

• Tell us about the issues and needs of the people or community you want to work with

• Quote and date your sources

• Evidence needs to be varied, recent and relevant

• Consultation: include when, who, how, numbers, and findings

• Include local evidence

• Tell us about other similar services and how you work with them

• Tell us if your project supports local priorities

Reaching Communities: Existing projects must submit an evaluation report showing the impact the project

has had

Remember....

Keep your answers simple, clear, specific and consistent.

Act on any feedback we have given you.

Proofread your form and use the form’s checklist.

Make sure your application links together

Getting funding and planning successful projects

Where to find out more

www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Big Advice Line: 0845 4 10 20 30

Textphone: 0845 6 02 16 59

Email: general.enquiries@biglotteryfund.org.uk