1. Successful Bid Writing:
The workshop will look at bid writing from the perspective of the charity and help you recognise the key requirements of writing a winning bid, which will include each of the following steps:
The pre-application preparation process
How to write and design a successful funding application
Plan and build an effective budget
Bid Writing fundamentals
The do’s and don'ts for bid writers
How to ensure project sustainability
How to research and build a funding portfolio

2. Activity 1:
In groups of three, spend ten minutes to discuss what steps and information you will need to complete when preparing to write a funding application

3. Pre-Bid Preparation:
Pre-bid meeting to establish why the project is needed and what outcomes will need to be achieved
Identify and match the new funders criteria to the project idea
Research the funding websites that have been identified to approach
Identify and accumulate evidence of need for the new project
Identify if the project will be for core, capital or project funding
Identify how the project will be delivered and where
Case studies and pictures to support the bid
Articles of association
Year end audited accounts and project budget
Letters of support from partnerships or stakeholders

4. Activity 2:
In groups of three, take ten minutes to discuss the ten steps every funding application must include.

5. How to Write a Successful Bid:
Who you are
What you do
Why you provide your service
Where the project will take place
When the project will take place and for
Need for the project
How the need will be addressed
Impact and outcomes of the project
Monitor and evaluation methodology
Budget and project sustainability

6. Plan and Build an Effective Budget:
Create clear costings, outlining the costs for pilots, the development phase or an investment-ready proposal
Be realistic when breaking down costs; budgets should accurately reflect the planning, research, project delivery and evaluation
Grant and funding assessors will always look out for over and under- estimated costings
Most funding bodies will want to know if you have approached any other funders or secured any other funding
Make sure you have researched whether the funding body you are applying to prefers to be the sole funder or understands that there may be other investors
Provide details of multi-year funding requirements with a detailed forecast budget

7. Bid Writing Fundamentals:
Understand exactly what the funder wants to support
Ensure there is funding match for the charity
Ensure the evidence of need supports the core, capital or project idea
Keep things clear with subheadings using the ten point rule
Keep things concise with relevant information and detail to support your application request
Ensure there is a balance between text and statistics
Illustrate your application with case studies, pictures and visual data
Ensure the long-term change of the beneficiary is clearly demonstrated using outcomes, which can be tracked to show change
Ensure the application goes through a rigorous review process

8. Do’s of writing a successful Bid:
Question what you want to do and why it's important
Chose a title for the project that is accessible and self-explanatory
Are you responding to a problem? If so, outline why it needs to be solved
Make time for expansive research around your subject - collate statistics, facts and quotations that prove the need for your proposed activity
Detail how you will go about achieving your ultimate aims, referencing short, medium and long-term objectives
Understand what you will create or provide
Decide who you will be working with to implement these plans and why
Outline what progress you have made to date
Build a timeline to detail what is required to take the idea further: outline any roles that you would like to recruit for, the next steps you want to take and the time this will take you

9. Don'ts when Writing a Funding Bid:
Do not apply to a funder without fully researching their criteria
Do not apply to a funder unless the pre-application process has been completed
Do not apply to a funder unless the needs led assessment process has been completed
Do not apply to a funder unless the funding budget has been approved and agreed by the project manager
Do not use in house acronyms
Do not over complicate your answer with unnecessary text

10. Project Sustainability:
Develop portfolio of trust and foundation funding opportunities
Develop a bespoke legacy strategy to approach potential legacy donors
Develop local funding opportunities to reach the hearts and minds of potential new supporters
Review your external environment to identify new funding opportunities
Engage in a funding discussion with stakeholders, staff, management, trustees, volunteers, beneficiaries, and the wider community to secure new funding
Ensure you diversify income generation through a number of sources
Utilise assets of the charity, particularly your own business income generators, to provide long-term sustainability of projects
Increase relationships with local businesses to become their charity of choice

11. Activity 3:
In groups of three, discuss projects you currently require funding towards or new projects you would like to deliver

12. Researching Funders:

13. Questions: Damon Musgrove Bid writing consultant damonm2@Hotmail.co.uk