Wiltshire Sports Club Roadshow

Making successful small grant funding applications

Alex Muse, Sports Development Officer, Wiltshire Council

Purpose:

• Identification of common questions / themes within grant application forms

• Ways of pitching your responses – themes / phrases

• Examples of successful / unsuccessful applications

• Opportunity to discuss current / potential applications

Some general principles...• Have clear aims and objectives

• Read the criteria and meet them

• Start a relationship with the funder

• The funder knows nothing about you or the project

• Is the project a sound investment – value for money

• Make sure your sums add up!!

Question: What does your club do...• Things to consider

– How long has club been operating– How many current members / sides– Growth over previous period of time– Active coaches with the club – Current partnerships – Stated development plan aims– Notable achievements

– Keep in mind relevance to project application

Question: Describe your project...• Pinpoint the focus of your project

• Relate it to aims of the funder

• What tasks do you need to do undertake?

• Who will help you make the project a success?

• What timescales are you referring to?

Question: Why is your project needed...• Consultation / feedback

• Local / national strategy

• Barriers to participation

• Demographics / community

• Value for money

• Supporting letters

Question: What do you want to achieve...• What will be different as a result of this project?

• New or additional participants

• Number of sessions

• Duration of project

• Sustainability

• Exit routes

Question – how will you monitor the success of your project...

• Sample evaluation forms

• Attendance registers

• Growth in numbers

• Evidence of wider community benefit

• New technology

Common mistakes...• Applying to the wrong funder

• Requests to fund ongoing activity

• Failure to observe the criteria

• Lack of clarity in the budget

• Lack of need

• Lack of sustainability

Final thoughts…• Realistic timescales

• A clear executive summary

• Club membership audit

• Budget

• No need to reinvent the wheel